Arbor Networks today introduced a new version of its Peakflow SP 4.0 security platform, which incorporates deep packet inspection into its existing networkwide security assessment system, offering service providers a unified approach to detecting threats and analyzing network traffic and applications.

The centralized approach enables service providers to avoid deploying multiple devices at data centers, each requiring management and consuming resources such as power, said Counse Broders, analyst with Current Analysis.

“Having integrated features in one device, so they can be activated on the fly when needed, is an advantage to having so many different devices and options,” he said.

As a comprehensive platform, the Peakflow SP 4.0 enables service providers to do network-wide detection of traffic anomalies that might indicate security threats, and do them on a real-time basis. By enabling service providers to understand and visualize network traffic flow problems, which can be caused by security attacks, configuration problems or changes in how consumers are using the network, the Peakflow SP 4.0 is intended to help service providers both protect their networks and plan for their future.

The idea is to let service providers get ahead of the game in preparing for what lies ahead – whether it’s new bandwidth-hungry applications or new security attacks – said Rob Malan, Arbor’s CTO.

To do that, Arbor created its own Threat Management System – it had been integrating third-party systems – earlier this year. It is now offering a range of TMS models for multiple types of applications, so service providers can put the right device where it is needed and still centralize management of that information.

“Customers asked for not just reporting but also mitigation of the problems, and there is only so much we could do with third-party integration, we couldn’t operationalize that to customer without our own device,” he said. “What drove it was folks are rolling out operationalized services to combat D-DOS and they needed an integrated solution. As attacks keep getting bigger, the ability to mitigate with point devices is increasingly difficult. By tying multiple devices as a logical unit and treat this from a workflow and operations response perspective as one single thing, we built on that TMS ability.”

The new system expands a service provider’s ability to offer managed security services on a more comprehensive basis as well.

Arbor also enhanced reporting and alerts on Peakflow SP 4.0.