Since these are management tools, you'll want to see useful operational reporting that quickly lets you see what has been done and what needs to be addressed. Make sure the reports deliver the information you want at the level of detail you need. For example, rule usage can change over time. A rule that was optimally placed at first may become a bottleneck as it's hit with more and more traffic, and may need to be moved up in the hierarchy.

Finally, high-level reports can demonstrate overall improvements in efficiency and security, as well as highlight which business units may be lax in properly managing their networks.

. Most vendors offer complimentary workflow products to integrate their core capabilities with change-management workflow tools, such as ticketing systems. This may not be important if your organization has a well-defined process and supporting tools, either homegrown or commercial. But some companies find this capability useful in automating their change-management programs.

, especially if you are running one of these products in a virtual environment in which resource-sharing may be an issue.