Known as Web Security Flex, the hybrid web security system is billed as unifying software-as-a-service (SaaS), appliance and remote filtering deployment options under a single management and reporting portal.
In use, the Web Security Flex system is said to deliver enterprise-class web security to protect onsite and remote users and, says Barracuda, gives administrators the peace of mind in choosing security first and the actual deployment details later.
Interestingly, Barracuda says the new offering marks the complete integration of the Purewire web security service, which it gained access to after it acquired Purewire in October 2009.
Announcing the technology, Dean Drako, Barracuda's president, said that Web Security Flex is all about choice for the enterprise.
"We've made that choice simple by offering maximum security coverage across all locations and users in one solution that is easily scalable as the corporate's needs grow", he explained.
The system is available as a conventional appliance, or as a virtual service, with a web security agent for laptop users, as well as in an SaaS flavour for cloud-based filtering for remote workers.
The web security agent version for laptop users has a tamper-proof security feature, Infosecurity notes.
Barracuda also seems to going down the path of low capex and a single per-user cost with the new offering, something it claims allows organisations to enforce policies and protect users regardless of whether they are on the network or working on a remote basis.
So what do users get if they opt for the cloud (virtual) version of the new offering? According to the company, the service includes cloud-based malware analysis, advanced URL filtering, and extensive coverage for content types and applications.
This approach, says Barracuda, allows admins to regulate web content and Web 2.0 applications.