"3Com's NBX is a very secure product, but every time we implement VoIP we get asked about security," Gulling said. "Other vendors have built-in security solutions, so to compete in larger deals against a Cisco [Systems] or a Nortel [Networks], you're going to need to have a security solution that's designed to work with your VoIP system," he said.
TippingPoint's product line already includes VoIP-focused security features, said Marc Willebeek-LeMair, CTO of TippingPoint, Austin, Texas. "You're bringing voice traffic into the IP environment and subjecting it to the same attacks, worms, viruses and Trojans," he said. "You need to protect it the same way you protect other applications—the operating system it's built on and the protocols."
UnityOne appliances root out malicious traffic before it causes problems. They also block spyware, which can free up bandwidth and improve network performance, Willebeek-LeMair said.
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