Re: NAI Guantlet "Best of Show Award" The Real Deal

[HASSAN.KARIM () chase com]

I'd actually be interested in talking to ANY security vendor who did not
exagerate!!! The problem that I see is that integrity should be a basis for
making decisions. However, there is not a SINGLE vendor that I've spoken to
that I feel has presented 100% honesty. I think this is the problem with
Marketing folx in general.

So what does this reduce us to..... only trusting the products once we've
evaluated them. People will be people, but the proof is in the product.

Just my thoughts
-Hassan






"Waszak, Tom" <Tom.Waszak @ connect.xerox.com> on 11/09/98 06:43:37 PM

Please respond to "Waszak, Tom" <Tom.Waszak () connect xerox com>


To:   firewall-wizards @ nfr.net
cc:    (bcc: Hassan Karim/CHASE)
Subject:  NAI Guantlet "Best of Show Award" The Real Deal




*Note:  I do not work for any security product vendors.  Also note that
these are my opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my
employer Xerox Connect*

The LAN Times and Data Communications sponsored "Best of Show Networld +
Interop '98"  has been a major marketing coup for NAI.  If you read their
press release (http://www.nai.com/about/news/press/1998/october/102898.asp
<http://www.nai.com/about/news/press/1998/october/102898.asp>  ) it would
lead you to believe that they actually won the Best of Show Award in the
"Network Security and IP Tools" category.  It is nothing more than a
wonderful example of creative writing and word play.

The fact is Gauntlet came in fourth.  If you don't read the article very
carefully you would think they won the award.  I don't consider fourth
place
winning.  I mean no one says "I won fourth place in the track meet today".
Do they?  That's not even a Bronze Medal in the Olympics.  If there was a
fourth place medal, maybe NAI would win the "Lead Medal", or perhaps the
"Recycled Aluminum Medal" is more fitting considering NAI has repackaged
old
technology to make it appear new and cutting edge.

The thing that really chafes my buzz is that at least two NAI personnel, a
regional channel manager and a territory manager, told me (on more than one
occasion) that they won  the award for their adaptive proxy development.
(which they told me they were in the process of getting a patent)

Here is the real deal on NAI "winning" Best of Show at "Networld + Interop
'98"  per "Data Communications" (one of the sponsors):

Results:
 http://www.data.com/datacomm/best98.html
<http://www.data.com/datacomm/best98.html>         "Internet Devices' Fort
Knox VPN engine" won  the "Best of Show Network Security and IP Tools"
category.

Finalists:
http://www.data.com/datacomm/best98_extra.html
<http://www.data.com/datacomm/best98_extra.html>           Gauntlet came in
fourth.

I have contact with all the major firewall vendors.  All are prone to
slight
exaggeration about their products.  It's the nature of the business.
However, I have noticed that NAI has developed a pattern that really makes
me wonder whether or not they....well I won't say...draw your own
conclusions.  I will say this:  Integrity is important in any vendor
relationship.  I need to know that the people I talk to are telling me the
truth and can call a spade a spade.  If a vendor can't do that I don't want
to deal with him or her.  Hmmm...I wonder how many NAI product
recommendations I'll make in the future?

Here's something you could do if your really bored...call your local NAI
rep
and ask them if Gauntlet won best of show.

Thomas Waszak, CCP
Principal Consultant
Information Security Practice
Xerox Connect