SSL VPN Marketplace: Leading vendors and links to reviews

I have been interested in SSL VPNs for some time, and the most recent article is a comparative review published in TechTarget's Information Security magazine's September 2006 issue. The review was conducted at a special lab on the Stanford University campus in June and examined products from Cisco, Checkpoint, Aventail, F5, and Juniper.

You'll notice that all of the comparative reviews recently omit Symantec and Cisco -- they don't seem to find the "right" time to get their products in front of the hands-on reviewers at the leading IT publications. Nevertheless, you can find links below along with the vendor's own sites and my own brief commentary on their positioning.

This page was last updated September 6, 2006. If you have additions or corrections, please send me an email.

Infoworld:

Not a very satisfying review of six products was done in Feb 2005 by Keith Schultz

http://archive.infoworld.com/reports/06SRsslvpn.html

Network World:

Joel Snyder's review in December 2005 of 11 products with Juniper coming out on top:

http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2005/121905-ssl-test-intro.html?t5&story=121905-ssl-test-intro

Gartner's Magic Quadrant Report:

John Girard's December 2005 report http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/juniper/article2/article2.html

SC Magazine:

Over a dozen products tested by Rene Millman and others in October 2005

http://www.scmagazine.com/us/products/index.cfm?fuseaction=productListSubCategory2&sSubcatcode=NETSSL

Secure Enterprise/Network Computing:

A comparison of nine products done in August 2005 by Joanne VanAuken

http://www.secureenterprisemag.com/products/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=166400994

Breakaway Security Group:

Not a very critical site, but a good compendium of information and a nice page of links to vendor-sponsored white papers

http://sslvpn.breakawaymg.com/index.php

eWeek:

Andy Garcia’s 2004 test of 4 products:

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1585449,00.asp

Current SSL Vendors

Vendor, link	Product Line	Strom's opionion of notable position and features	Ratings NWW, IW, NWC	Cost (IW, NWW, NWC)
AccessAnywhere Systems	AccessAnywhere	Managed services and product versions available
AEP Networks	AEP Netilla Security Platform	New acquisition, strong European presence	NWW: 3.3/5 IW: 8.0/10	NWW:$62,250 IW: $34,300
Array Networks	Array SPX	SSL acceleration and high-performance focus	NWW: 2.9/5 IW: 8.5/10 NWC: 3.8/5	NWW:$60,000 IW: $25,000 NWC: NA/$60,000
Aventail Corp.	Smart SSL VPN	Leading supplier to ISP/carriers, specialist in SSL VPNs	NWW: 3.6/5 IW: 8.4/10 NWC: 4.1/5	NWW: $39,000 IW: $28,000 NWC: $21,500/ $53,000
Caymas Systems	Identity Driven Access Gateway	Deep inspection access control	NWW: 3.6/5 NWC: 4.1/5	NWW: $45,000 NWC: $10,000/ $45,000
Check Point Software	Connectra	Broad base of complementary technologies	NWW: 3.3/5 NWC: 3.4/5	NWW: $79,000 NWC: $15,000/ $60,000
Cisco Systems	ASA and PIX appliances	Lagging behind technologically
Citrix Systems	Access Gateway	Lacks integration with diverse product lines
F5 Networks	FirePass	SSL acceleration and high-performance focus	NWW: 4.0/5 IW: 8.8/10 NWC: 4.3/5	NWW: $80,000 IW: $25,000 NWC: $28,000/ $70,000
Fortinet	FortiGate	Part of their security appliance feature set	NWW: 2.0/5	NWW: $30,000
Juniper Networks	SA product line from Neoteris/Netscreen	Market sales leader, Neoteris line finding further traction too.	NWW: 4.5/5 IW: 8.9/10 NWC: 4.5/5	NWW: $48,000 IW: $34,000 NWC: $7,000/ $59,000
Nokia Corporation	SSL VPN	Sales dropping, lagging behind on features	NWW: 4.2/5 IW: 7.9/10	NWW: $65,000 IW: $28,000
Nortel	VPN Gateway	Lagging behind on features	NWW: 3.3/5 NWC: 4.0/5	NWW: $26,000 NWC: $35,000/ $65,000
Permeo Technologies	Base5	Lacks portal but impressive features	NWC: 3.8/5	NWC: $10,000/ $50,000
PortWise	PortWise	Most complete mobile support
Sonicwall	SSL VPN 2000	New entry to the field, solid low cost hardware solution	NWW: 2.5/5	NWW: $2,300
Symantec	Sygate Enterprise Protection and Enterprise Security Appliances	Integrated intrusion prevention and access control
Whale Communications/Microsoft	Intelligent Application Gateway	Low price point, high applications and email-specific coverage	NWC: 4.4/5	NWC: $27,000/ $72,000

Notes:

IW: Infoworld, cost per 100 users, 0-10 point scale

NWW: Network World, cost per TK users, 0-5 point scale

NWC: Network Computing/Secure Enterprise tests on both per 100 and per 1000 users, 0-5 point scale