WindowSecurity.com - Product-based Security vs. Service-based Security

Title: Product-based Security vs. Service-based Security
Author: Deb Shinder
Summary: Security vendors today can follow either of two different models: they can sell a product (a firewall, an encryption program, etc.) that your company pays for upfront, or they can sell a service that incurs an ongoing fee. In some cases, they can combine the two: an antivirus program or anti-spyware appliance that requires an update service to function properly. The current trend seems to be away from the standalone product model and toward the service model. In this article, we examine the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Link: http://www.WindowSecurity.com/articles/Product-based-Security-Service-based-Security.html