News

Palo Alto Networks, VMware Join Forces for Cloud Security

Joint work will automate and centrally manage network security across physical and virtual domains.

• By Christa Ayer
• 12/02/2013

Palo Alto Networks is teaming up with VMware to develop a new security solution for the cloud. The joint integration addresses the problem of "east-west" security. Traditional physical security appliances deployed in the data center watch traffic coming in and out of virtualized servers – i.e., north-south traffic. However, they don't usually monitor traffic between virtual machines on the same server – i.e., east-west traffic – at least not without arduous and detailed network provisioning.

In beta now, and due for release in the first half of 2014, the solution combines Palo Alto's security platform and its Panorama centralized management software with the VMware NSX network virtualization platform. Customers will be able to use VMware NSX to automate provisioning and distribution of Palo Alto network security in their software-defined data centers.

In addition to automated provisioning of advanced network services and protection against cyber threats across both physical and virtual workloads, customers will be able to natively segment VMs into virtual networks and control traffic from the virtual interface. They'll also get detailed visibility into applications, users, and content associated with VM context; context-sharing across virtual infrastructure and security management platforms; and the ability to separate duties between server, network, and security IT administrators.