A new beginning with USG FLEX
The launch of further additions to the USG FLEX series this springtime will provide customers with the protection and ease of management that they want from security appliances now – and see the inevitable phasing out the USG series. Thorsten Kurpjuhn, Security Market Development Manager Europe at Zyxel expects it to be a smooth transition.
It’s true that all good things must eventually come to an end. But it is also true – on most occasions – that the ending of one phase marks the beginning of another. That is certainly the case with the transition that we are now getting close to completing between the Zyxel USG series of security gateways and the new ATP and USG FLEX ranges.
USG appliances have been faithful and dependable servants for tens of thousands of Zyxel customers all over the world for the best part of a decade – and they still provide excellent protection at the network gateway today.
As technology advances and customer needs change, Zyxel continues to adapt and develop its solutions to meet those needs. But a design can only be modified and changed so much. Eventually, you reach the stage where it is better to start from scratch and completely re-design the entire product. That is the point we had reached with the USG range around two years ago.
Gradual change
Change, however, should never be too sudden with respect to new product introductions. The thousands of customers who still rely on our USG series would not thank us if we stopped supporting their solutions overnight and, of course, Zyxel would never take such a rash and impractical step. It was 18 months ago that we started introducing the new ATP series models, and in summer 2020 we unveiled the first USG FLEX models.
At the same time, we started to place less emphasis on the original USG series. It has been a gradual change and we are now reaching the point where it is time to start phasing it out completely. In the springtime of 2021, we will introduce additional models to the USG FLEX range – and the USG will no longer be available. We will, of course, continue to support installed USG appliances for some time to come, but from around April 2021, they won’t be available to buy anymore.
A new beginning
While that marks a new beginning in one sense, it’s not a complete ending, because the USG FLEX is in many respects a continuation of the line. It has quite a lot of common features and consistencies with the previous range. Aside from looking different, the main change is that it will be possible to manage all USG FLEX models with our cloud management solution, Nebula.
We’re seeing almost all our customers and partners move towards remote and cloud-based management of networking and security solutions, so it makes perfect sense for us to move in this direction. It is what our customers want – and we are here to meet their needs. That is the only way we can be successful as a company and continue to deliver the great performance, features and protection that Zyxel security products provide.
Solutions you can trust
If you are familiar with the USG range, you will find that the new USG FLEX has many similarities. While it won’t be quite like slipping on an old pair of shoes, it won’t be a drastic change either. Two of the other key qualities of Zyxel products are consistency and reliability. Our customers know that they can depend on our solutions, and that they can trust Zyxel to incorporate the latest and best technologies into them and thus ensure that they deliver the very best protection for their networks.
By the way, for customers who are still using USG products, as I mentioned before, updates and support will continue to be made available for some time to come, so there is no need to worry about maintaining your protection and getting a good return on your investment. We also expect to be offering good trade-in terms to customers when they decide to step up to the ATP or USG FLEX ranges. Your Zyxel partner or local Zyxel office will be able to provide details when they are available.
