KUALA LUMPUR (March 7): Cloud-connected security and storage solutions provider Barracuda Networks,Inc has expanded its next-generation firewall product family with the addition of the new Barracuda NextGen Firewall S-Series, which will enable customers to securely connect thousands of machine endpoints such as ATM machines or other remote devices, by enabling new ‘Internet of Things’ applications and deployments.

In a statement today, Barracuda Malaysia's regional manager Thiban Dharmalingam said the ‘Internet of Things’ has given critical awareness to the fundamental need to protect individual devices and endpoints connected to a network.”

“Next-generation firewall appliances typically deployed in smaller networks can be very complex and expensive for organizations with hundreds or even thousands of remote kiosks, such as banks with ATMs and energy providers with wind power stations,” he said.

“The Barracuda NextGen Firewall S-Series empowers customers to massively scale thousands of connected devices with powerful technology that is easy to use and affordable.

“The Barracuda NextGen Firewall S-Series launch further underscores Barracuda’s aim to help customers optimize network traffic and better regulate application usage in highly-distributed and hybrid environments,” he explained.

Barracuda said the two new products in the S-Series were:

· Barracuda NextGen Firewall Secure Connector 1 (SC1), which is a small appliance that includes firewalling, Wi-Fi, and full VPN connectivity.

· The Barracuda NextGen SAC is a virtual gateway — capable of running in Microsoft Azure environments or in private clouds — to optimize network traffic flow and centrally apply next-generation security functionality to deployed SC1 appliances.

The company said the Barracuda NextGen Firewall S-Series helps customers enforce proper access privileges, secure and centrally manage all communications, and quickly roll out thousands of devices to untrained staff in remote locations.

“It provides organisations with greater flexibility to securely connect highly-distributed networks, and includes the same advanced security functionality such as Application Control, Anti-Virus, IPS, and URL filtering well known with the Barracuda NextGen Firewall F- and Barracuda NextGen Firewall X-Series products,” it said.