Palo Alto Networks has changed Global Network Security…
A few years ago, I was busy in my career, spending long hours implementing and managing stateful-packet inspection firewalls, like Checkpoint, Netscreen, and Juniper. When I first became aware of Palo Alto Networks, I had not heard about Nir Zuk, the company founder, and current Chief Technology Officer.
What I didn’t know is that Nir Zuk was an early product engineer at Checkpoint. He later founded OneSecure, the first intrusion detection/prevention company. Nir Zuk’s name was on the U.S. Patent for stateful inspection. He was a CTO at Juniper after Juniper acquired Netscreen, but left to create Palo Alto Networks because they wouldn’t let him innovate. I have spent most of my career working with technology that he patented, founded, and invented. Since my professional life was indirectly yet inextricably linked to the technologies he has pioneered, I had to know more about this man and his influence.
After some anecdotal research, what grabbed me the most is his seeming obsession with innovation. Everywhere his career took him; he emerged as an innovator and left a company when they stifled his sense of innovation. He was quoted in an ‘ask us’ article from Greylock Partners as saying:
“Companies rise and fall on their ability to innovate. If you stop innovating you die. For startups, it’s the only thing you have. To build a long-term, successful company you have to continue to be innovative.”
When asked, “what motivates you?” Nir said, “building great technology that actually solves customer problems.”
When asked to “describe your business in 10 words or fewer,” Nir said, ” Reinvent the network security market, starting with the firewall.”
Nir’s obsession with innovation was the underpinning of why the Palo Alto Networks Next Generation Firewall product line has reinvented the network security market. When I learned of its advanced capabilities, I could easily see the market acceptance that this product would continue to earn. It has gone farther than that for me. Palo Alto Networks Firewall sales and integration, management, etc., are the major thrust of the advanced network engineering I do. When I have completed a new Palo Alto Networks firewall implementation, several things usually happen. The customer immediately starts finding and blocking security problems on their network. I haven’t had the customer yet that wasn’t pleased with the new capabilities of their firewall. The other notable thing that happens is the customer usually orders more PAN NGFW’s for other parts of their organization. To me, this is proof of fulfillment of a vision that has allowed Nir Zuk and Palo Alto Networks to reinvent the network security market.
Read Nir Zuk’s interview with Graylock
Tags: Firewalls, Nir Zuk, Palo Alto Networks