Companies have always faced a tradeoff with network security. Do they lock down the network and face performance issues? Or do they focus on a high level of performance at the expense of preventing possible attacks? Today, these decisions are even harder. Application-layer threats are increasingly the vector of choice of hackers and malware. These attacks--disguised as legitimate traffic--require a deeper level of inspection that needs more processing power. At the same time, companies are beginning to transition to 10G networks. With a growth rate of almost 60 percent in 2006, 10G Ethernet will require a security solution that can keep up with it in order to maintain a positive return on investment.

The Check Point Power-1security appliance was designed with these two challenges in mind-raising throughput while simultaneously raising security levels. Rather than make companies choose between performance and security, Power-1 provides the ability to deliver both security and performance in the same platform by providing several layers of patented or patent pending acceleration technologies. These layers work together with advanced technologies, such as Intel multi-core CPUs, to deliver on the promise of application-layer security at high performance levels. This white paper will explain the philosophy behind the Power-1 performance architecture and will explore each of its layers in detail.