Posted by SecExtra on June 11th, 2009

Managed security company, Network Box, has completed the migration of its patented new HQPUSH system to all 11 of its network operating centers (NOCs) throughout the world. Network Box has pioneered the use of push technology (pushing updates to customers as soon as they are available, rather than relying on system updates). The new system offers improved performance and lets Network Box push out security updates to its customers more effectively.

Since it was founded in 1999, Network Box has used push technology to get updates onto its unified threat management (UTM) appliances, on client sites. The new HQPUSH system allows Network Box to monitor continuously all of its sources of security signatures and to push out changes almost immediately. Updates are concurrently installed on regional NOCs within three seconds of their release and on all end-user Network Box UTM devices – globally – within 45 seconds.

Simon Heron, Internet Security Analyst at Network Box, says: “Pushing updates to clients as soon as they are available has obviously benefits over waiting for a system to update – clients have the most up-to-date protection available, all the time. The new HQPUSH system is even faster, minimizing latency. In other words, it speeds up the time between the update being available, and it being on our clients’ appliances.”

Push technology offers a number of additional significant advantages over pull technology (in which the end-user requests the updates). For example, push technology enables the managed security provider to make certain that updates are correctly installed and activated. It also makes optimum use of the provider’s network for delivering updates, in both resource utilisation and source of updates.

More information is available from Network Box. A Network Box white paper on push technology can be accessed here.