McAfee&'s Policy Enforcer

Policy Enforcer, a network access control solution, is currently in beta. The product, which has yet to be priced, will check connecting devices to ensure proper security settings and patch levels are in place.

The McAfee solution represents a windfall in service opportunities for VARs as they help customers define security policies, said Vincent Rossi, McAfee senior vice president of product marketing and management.

Furthermore, he said the product gives VARs the opportunity to deliver a network access control solution without upgrading network infrastructure. In fact, Rossi said, VARs will be able to use Policy Enforcer in conjunction with the 40 million nodes currently managed by McAfee&'s ePolicy Orchestrator platform.

“VARs are going to be able to jump on this and plug their customers into it immediately,” he said.

Policy Enforcer will support Cisco Systems infrastructure that is NAC-enabled, but can also be used independently.

McAfee is also planning to update its SecurityCenter for small businesses later this year. SecurityCenter currently offers antivirus and antispyware protection, and McAfee plans to add more product modules, Rossi said.

The more features McAfee can add, the better, said Marc Malafronte, SMB sales manager for Software House International, a Somerset, N.J.-based solution provider.

“SMB customers want everything to be hands-off because they don&'t have large IT staffs, so the more features they can add would be great. So far they&'re doing a good job,” Malafronte said.

McAfee detailed its 2006 product road map plans in an interview with CRN last week, two days after McAfee President Gene Hodges stepped down to accept the posts of president and CEO at rival Websense.

Rossi said the departure of Hodges will not affect McAfee&'s two-year product road map. “Although Gene was a strong executive leader and involved in product strategy, his departure will cause no impact on the 24-month plans that each product line already has established,” he said.

One partner said Hodges hasn&'t always been responsive to channel partners, whereas McAfee Chairman and CEO George Samenuk has. “The interface with Hodges has never really been that dramatic. If Samenuk leaves, then I would probably be more concerned,” said Jim Hindy, CEO of Entre BTG, Norcross, Ga.

McAfee has a sharp channel focus, and that&'s not likely to change, Hindy added. “Their direction is channel-centric. That is their drive,” he said.