WARNING OF THE influx of integrated security threats that businesses must now face, Symantec Thursday previewed its new Gateway Security appliances, which are intended to help medium-sized and small businesses battle security risks with five key features.
Symantec Gateway Security appliances combines firewall, gateway-level antivirus software, intrusion detection, content filtering and VPN (virtual private networking) capabilities.

"Security threats have evolved to become very complicated and very costly," said Howard Lev, a group product manager at Cupertino, Calif.-based

Symantec, during a conference call Thursday.

The company's new products are aimed at addressing the onslaught of security needs in a cost-effective, simplified manner by offering customers multiple solutions from one vendor, Lev added.

Symantec Gateway Security appliances can also block Web sites that are non-business related or that companies deem offensive. Additionally, they come with a single management console to simplify oversight of company security, Symantec said.

The company is offering three models: the 5110, which supports up to 50 nodes; the 5200, which handles up to 250 nodes; and the 5300, which the company suggests should handle up to 1,000 nodes. The appliances are priced at $11,790, $23,590 and $51,990, respectively, and will be available in March, according to a Symantec spokeswoman. The product prices include one year of warranty and support.