Palo Alto Networks, VMware Team Up For Mobile Security Offering

Palo Alto Networks and VMware have once again joined forces, launching a combined mobile security, enterprise security and mobile management offering to help partners address new security challenges.

The partnership integrates Palo Alto's Next-Generation Firewall, WildFire and GlobalProtect technologies with VMware's AirWatch platform. The end result builds a BYOD solution with both mobile device management and advanced threat protection to help enforce security policies at multiple levels, the company said.

"In a world of riding mobile threats, Palo Alto Networks and VMware are building upon the comprehensive AirWatch mobility platform to provide another layer of security, automation and ease of management for customers around the globe," Noah Wasmer, vice president, End-User Computing at VMware, said in a statement.

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More specifically, technical capabilities of the integrated solution include malware detection, using WildFire; network protection, using GlobalProtect Host Information Profile (HIP); and VPN and network security, using GlobalProtect, AirWatch and Next-Generation Firewall.

The partnership adds to a growing collaboration between the two vendors, most recently around network security and network virtualization in 2014. The latest collaboration helps address a growing need for mobile security in the market, as the market for BYOD and enterprise mobility is expected to hit $284 billion by 2019, up from around $72 billion today, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets.

"Employees love the flexibility that using their mobile devices for business provides them, but IT teams often struggle to enforce security policies without compromising usability. Integrating our Next-Generation Firewall, WildFire and GlobalProtect technologies with the AirWatch platform addresses the concerns of both parties, giving users a positive mobile experience while existing security policies are enforced," said Lee Klarich, Palo Alto Networks senior vice president of Product Management, in a statement.

Gordon Martin, president and CEO at Tulsa, Okla.-based Peak UpTime, said in an email that the announcement is a "great partnership with two great partners." Peak UpTime is a partner of both Palo Alto Networks and VMware.

"Always glad to see "ecosystem’ relationships forming as end users are seeking complete solutions," Martin said in an email.

For VMware, in particular, Martin said the partnership helps strengthen the virtualization vendor's AirWatch portfolio and confirms to him that VMware will partner and work outside of its previous Cisco relationship.

The technology integration will be available to resellers in the second half of this year, and the Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect iOS VPN app is currently available.

PUBLISHED APRIL 2, 2015