Coming from an organization that has a great deal of experience with numerous firewalls including: Gauntlet, Sidewinder, Cyberguard, Raptor, Checkpoint, etc, I will agree with you that there are 'stronger' firewalls. Sidewinder is an extremely secure product because of its type enforcement. Unfortunately, in this category there are unavoidable trade offs. Sidewinder is, by no means without its faults and cannot suffice many of the demands of most commercial applications. Hence the reason SCC has cut back so dramatically on their target markets. Companies that buy solely on the premise of the 'most secure' product are in for a serious disappointment. In the case of sidewinder, response time is a very serious issue (from experience). Without rapid response from the vendor, needed changes can force a network into the realm of insecurity for weeks, if not longer. All (yes ALL) firewalls have their issues. The KEY is understanding each vendor?s shortcomings, and making a good/educated decision on which product is best for you. Technical Support Response Time should not be compromised for any reason.

On marketing... I will agree that the marketing hype is a bit out of control. But that will never change in any competitive market. Lets not forget the term 'Buyer Beware'.

Personally I feel NAI has displayed excellent diligence in squashing a serious hick-up

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