Check Point Scans New Markets

Check Point Scans New Markets
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eWEEK Online Interview: President of corporate firewall leader wants to take its technology everywhere.
Jerry Ungerman is president of Check Point Software, a $525 million maker of security software with headquarters in Ramat-Gan, Israel, and Redwood City, Calif. Having in just a few years grown from a start-up to become the dominant vendor of firewall software in the enterprise, Check Point Software now is seeking new markets, principally mobile computing and small business customers.

A 30-year industry veteran, Ungerman previously held various positions at Hitachi Data Systems and IBM. Ungerman outlined Check Points strategy in an interview with eWEEK Executive Editor Stan Gibson.

EWEEK: Why move from the lucrative and stable enterprise market into the mobile and SOHO markets?

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Ungerman: Were moving from the enterprise to the small business market and to the broadband and consumer market as well as the wireless market. Were going everywhere with our technology.

The enterprises and corporations of the world are going to let their employees call in on phones and PDAs as well as work from home. The largest corporations in the world have standardized on Check Point technology, and there are a lot of businesses that have thousands of remote offices including people working at home.

In the wireless world, IBM, Microsoft and Nokia will imbed our technology in their devices.

EWEEK: But the home user with broadband is also a target?

Ungerman: Sure. We offer the S-box, a $300 device for small offices and home offices. Also, our technology is being embedded in DSL modems and cable modems. It just has to be activated by the service provider.

EWEEK: Check Point has had gloriously high profit margins. Wont moving to these markets where price tags are smaller threaten your historically high margins?

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