VPN Product/News Briefs - November 24, 1999 continued

Shiva VPN Client Deployment Tool Eases Large-Scale Deployment
Intel recently announced the release of the Shiva VPN Client Deployment Tool (CDT), a browser-based tool that helps enterprises and ISPs quickly deploy fully-configured VPN software clients in high volumes. The CDT supports Intel's Shiva LanRover VPN Gateway Plus, LanRover VPN Gateway, and LanRover VPN Express, all of which include unlimited client licenses.

Distribution, installation, and configuration of VPN client software has been a major scalability stumbling block. The CDT streamlines these processes. It places an executable containing pre-configured VPN client software on a Microsoft IIS web server, and distributes e-mail containing a pass code and a URL to selected remote users. Users download the executable and launch it to install the pre-configured VPN client software on their desktop or laptop. Automated distribution and pre-configuration require no user expertise, reduce the probability of configuration error, and enforce consistent application of security policies. Furthermore, stored deployment information can be used for auditing purposes. Users can be aggregated into groups to facilitate policy implementation, and installed version information enables rapid upgrade when new client software becomes available.

The Shiva VPN Client Deployment Tool will be available in 4Q99 and is priced at $5,000 for a single user license (i.e., one administrator) and $25,000 for a multiple user license. For further information, visit http://www.shiva.com.  [back to table of contents]

IntelliSoft SnareWorks Client/VPN is "Entrust Ready"
Last week, IntelliSoft announced that its SnareWorks Client/VPN product had been certified "Entrust Ready." SnareWorks joins 3Com, AXENT, CheckPoint, Cisco, Lucent, Nortel, and others in the growing list of third-party products that have been certified "Entrust-Ready" under the Entrust Alliance Developer Program. Entrust provides the public key infrastructure needed to facilitate strong authentication, a critical ingredient for secure e-Commerce and VPNs. Over four million users can be identified today by Entrust digital certificates.

SnareWorks Client/VPN and Server products provide DES/3DES encrypted tunnels with single sign-on support and a wide variety of authentication environments (Unix, NT Domain, Netware, Radius, DCE, Kerberos, Entrust, LDAP, SecurID). The SnareWorks client is a multi-platform (Windows, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX), lightweight (3 MB disk and RAM) client that supports unattended installation. The addition of Entrust certificates allows mutual authentication of client/server with support for certificate revocation—essential when travelers' laptops disappear or employees leave the company.  [back to table of contents]

iPass/Altiga VPN Combo Facilitates Low-Cost Global Roaming
Altiga Networks is partnering with iPass, Inc. to deliver low-cost remote access to corporate networks from more than 4,000 access points in 150 countries. Enterprises that combine iPass's "Access Anywhere" service and Altiga's VPN Concentrators effectively build a remote access VPN with an extensive global set of POPs. With iPass, travelers and teleworkers can find a local Internet access number virtually anywhere, thereby avoiding toll or 800 # charges.

iPass services are offered by ISPs and VARs that form a cooperative charge-back network. iPass users select the nearest local dial number through a wizard. During establishment of a dial session, PAP or CHAP is forwarded to the user's home network for authentication. Peering agreements allow local ISPs to be compensated for roaming user access, while home ISPs remain responsible for billing users. Chargeback rates are established by each ISP or VAR, but are far less than the cost of international dial. ISPs interested in joining iPass should visit http://www.ipass.com/services/corporate-access/.

Combining iPass with VPN is a natural pairing. Remote access VPNs promise 50 percent or better savings over private dial, but savings depend on no-cost or low-cost Internet access. IPass lets smaller, regional ISPs extend their reach nationally, and larger, national ISPs to extend their reach internationally. Integration of iPass with products like the Altiga VPN Concentrator bring customers another step closer to realizing true VPN return on investment.  [back to table of contents]

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