A box based on OpenCALEA offers a relatively low starting price point.

by Alex Goldman ISP-Planet Managing Editor [April 19, 2007]

Lindon, Utah-based Solera Networks is a privately held company. "We've been around for two years," says Terry Haas, president and CEO. "Our specialty is appliances that record and play back your network." The company tag line is "TiVo® for your network."

An early customer, he claims, was the Department of Justice. "The DoJ uses our devices for forensics, doing lawful intercepts," says Haas.

Haas says he realized that there would be real demand for a CALEA device at the ISS trade show in December, 2006, where CALEA was a theme (track 3). The idea was to build a box that ISPs of all sizes could afford. Trusted Third Parties (TTPs) seemed to be setting the price of their services at $10,000 or more, so Haas felt that $10,000 was the price to compete with.

"I think CALEA is important for the security of this country, but I can understand that it can be burdensome, especially for small rural telcos," says Haas.

When the company first announced the device, Haas says, he was surprised to hear from smaller operators. The product is priced at $6,995, with an option to lease it at $190 per month.

"We're getting calls from telcos with as few as about a hundred customers. Of course, they get a device that can also be used for network management." Haas says he'd assumed that smaller customers would choose the lease option, but in fact, the majority have purchased it.

"The product we have is an entry level product," he notes. The company's surveillance devices are available with terabytes of storage, Fiber Channel and iSCSI attachment, and multiple GigE or even 10 GigE ports. In contrast, the DS500C is based on the company's bottom of the line product, the DS 1000. It can handle a 1 Gbps line rate, has on board storage of 800 GB, and has 2 10/100/1000 Ethernet interfaces on the motherboard.

Haas is eager to add that if readers want a more powerful device, Solera can supply it. "The next model up would cost $12,995. It would have 1.2 TB of storage and six network ports. If someone wants a $100,000 box, we can do that too."

The company's products are modular, and adding several dozen terabytes of Fiber Channel or iSCSI storage would get you to $100,000.

Still, he thinks most customers will use the DS500C. "An OC-12 is a little more than 600 Mbps and that's plenty fast for most environments."

The device, he says, is fairly priced, based on OpenCALEA and off the shelf hardware. "If anyone else can do it for less than $7,000, more power to them. I saw a router vendor is offering a free upgrade."

Buying a box does not make you CALEA compliant
Solera is a responsible vendor and has posted a very clear legal disclaimer saying that buying the box alone doesn't make you compliant and that only a lawyer can provide legal advice.

Our reading of CALEA says he's right—of course, ISP-Planet cannot provide legal advice either. The law describes not only equipment but also processes.

For example, an ISP has to designate one person to be their CALEA contact. "Yes," says Haas. "CALEA compliance is a combination of people and processes and technology. We can provide the technology, but if it's not used or not maintained or if the processes are wrong, there's no compliance."

The box's software (see screen shot, above) is designed to help an ISP comply with CALEA. For example, the interface allows an ISP to set clear access permissions. But it is the responsibility of the ISP, not of the vendor, to ensure compliance.

Solera adds, "Solera Networks does certify to its customers that the equipment and tools provided for CALEA monitoring with its appliances does comply with the safe harbor provisions detailed in Section 107 (a)(2) and warrants the technology accordingly based upon the plain language contained in Section 107 of the CALEA legislation."

Pricing and availability
Solera Networks' DS500C box is available now for $6,995 and for a lease of $190 per month. Additional modules and more powerful boxes are also available. Products can be ordered direct or from the company's resellers.

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