[Fwbuilder-discussion] Critics of firewall builder marketing approach - Re: Firewall Builder User S

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Do not get me wrong -- I think FWB is amazing product "I use it over 3 
years".

I understand the need of getting some income in order the project to 
survive, and I am sure the stable money flood has to be ensured.

I see you struggle to find some solution but I think you getting the 
wrong approach.

The primary mistake you are doing is the way you see and call the 
project and as consequence marketing it wrongly and going to license 
approaches which will be neither profitable neither good for the project.

You wrongly see the FWB as "quoted from the website":

"Firewall Builder is an easy-to-use GUI for creating and managing 
firewall rules for multiple platforms including iptables, pf and Cisco 
routers and Cisco ASA/PIX firewalls"

No it is wrong

You have to understand and get used to that and marketing it as - even 
may be it started as yet another graphical firewall generator, the 
result is much bigger.

If I designed and managed the site with over 30 networks firewalls, 
etc., with nearly 20'000 users spread in this networks with it -> 
therefor this is not firewall generator it is infrastructure solution.

The marketing has to be like this

The firewall builder is "Network and security infrastructure management 
platform/solution"

Unique qualities:

   1. Multiplatform integration -- ability to manage mixed platforms
      environment
   2. Centralized database of all infrastructure objects and properties
   3. Unified platform independent object model .
   4. Scalability -- simplifies the implementation as during the
      transition with any other platform in mixed environments.

Main straights:

1. Simplified personal management unifying the approach to different 
platforms. FWB take care of platform specifics providing same sharp 
learning curve for the personal with any background "Linux, Windows, 
Cisco, HP, Juniper"

2. *****

3. .

4. .

5. Some were here come "easy-to-use GUI for creating and managing 
firewall rules for multiple platforms including iptables, pf and Cisco 
routers and Cisco ASA/PIX firewalls"

See how the others market the products that are not even worth comparing 
with FWB in quality

https://h10078.www1.hp.com/cda/hpms/display/main/hpms_content.jsp?zn=bto&cp=1-11-15-119%5E1155_4000_100__ 
<https://h10078.www1.hp.com/cda/hpms/display/main/hpms_content.jsp?zn=bto&cp=1-11-15-119%5E1155_4000_100__>

http://h10144.www1.hp.com/products/management/ProCurve_Manager_Plus/overview.htm

Here even the licensing schema is integrated in presentation

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/netmgtsw/index.html#~feat-prod 
<https://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/netmgtsw/index.html#%7Efeat-prod>,

Compare this simple change

Original:

"Firewall Builder is an easy-to-use GUI for creating and managing 
firewall rules for multiple platforms including iptables, pf and Cisco 
routers and Cisco ASA/PIX firewalls"

Edited:

"Firewall Builder is scalable multiplatform security and network 
solution. It integrates unified network object database and 
multiplatform firewall compilers in an easy-to-use GUI for creating and 
managing firewalls and routers for multiple platforms including 
iptables, pf, Cisco and HP Procurve routers and Cisco ASA/PIX firewalls"

What all this will give:

Promoting firewall builder as GUI to some firewalls is not only 
diminishing the strengths but it put in different price tag and 
marketing it for different clients.

As result it push for license schemas -- per compiler, per OS for GUI etc.

Not only there is no much money in this scenario as targeted clients are 
not ready to spent but it kills the very important database of 
users/"network administrators" which are important to push companies to 
implement the "FWB solution"

The licensing schema per solution put the bill in front of the people 
that have the money and are willing and accustomed to pay for solutions.

Think about it:

If I put in the budget 80$ for management console or even 20x80$= 2000$ 
:-), how I will look in the eyes of the board of directors. Even worst 
if they google it -- what ??? I am spending money for "an easy-to-use GUI"

Fairly I will not put myself to look so unprofessional.

And then what if:

I come with the proposal for the centralized management solution with 
the transition plan for multiplatform integration and centralized 
management. Well there will be money involved "who care", milestones to 
be met and reported :-), personal management implications "power games 
are always important.

What about all this idea. I am sure you see it even the terrible 
spelling and are write it down even better and with good spelling :-))).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krastyo Komsalov
1N-440 Abelard, Verdun - Ile des Soeurs, QC, CA, H3E-1B5
Mobile: (514) 445-6726
Home: (514) 728-5867

/Email:/ kri...@ho... <mailto:%20k...@ho...>

LinkedInhttp:/ /ca.linkedin.com/in/kkomsalov 
<http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kkomsalov>
------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 8/25/2010 12:56 AM, Mike Horn wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We have created an online User Survey so you can tell us how we are 
> doing and help us prioritize the features we are working on.  Our goal 
> is to provide the best multi-vendor firewall configuration solution 
> available.  Your input is very valuable to us, so we would appreciate 
> your taking a few moments to complete this survey (link below). The 
> survey is anonymous and should take less than 10 minutes to complete.
>
> http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/354485/Firewall-Builder-User-Survey
>
> Thanks for helping us continue to improve Firewall Builder!
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike & Vadim
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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[Fwbuilder-discussion] Critics of firewall builder marketing approach - Re: Firewall Builder User S

[Fwbuilder-discussion] Critics of firewall builder marketing approach - Re: Firewall Builder User Survey