High-power security

Nortel Networks recently launched two new products in the Alteon Switched Firewall range to protect enterprise and service provider customers against the increasingly sophisticated attacks made against network systems. This includes unauthorised access, viruses, hacking and attempts to run malicious code, all of which have become common events for network administrators.

The new models - the Alteon Switched Firewall 5710 for large enterprises and carriers, the 5408 for medium-sized businesses and the 5100 for enterprises requiring an entry-level solution - augment current models and enable companies to implement the network protection they require without having to buy capacity they do not need.

"Alteon Switched Firewall products enable users to build a data centre network while ensuring the privacy and protection of customers` data," says Johann de Beer, Systems Engineer at Nortel Networks South Africa.

"One advantage is the ability to provide virtual firewalls, so that unique access policies can be implemented without having to purchase separate firewalls for different parts of the system. The Alteon equipment also has market-leading high-availability features, designed to ensure network security at all times."

Part of Nortel Networks` recently announced Unified Security Architecture, the new firewall products offer flexibility with a broad range of security options. Alteon Switched Firewall products are designed to seamlessly integrate into the layered security strategy of any network topology, supporting security requirements at perimeter, extranet, data centre and campus nodes for a high level of protection of corporate assets and optimised use of network resources.

"By offering new models of our Alteon Switched Firewall system, we enable our customers to implement the first line of network defence with a security solution that provides industry-leading performance, regardless of the size, throughput or number of users the network must support," says De Beer.

"The new models allow customers that require less traffic throughput to satisfy their needs at a more attractive price without sacrificing functionality. Because customers can add firewall appliances as their network requirements increase, this protects their investment and lowers total cost of ownership."

Tailored to the requirements of service providers and enterprise customers, the Alteon Switched Firewall 5710 provides more than four gigabits of throughput with the ability to support 1 000 000 concurrent sessions and establish 32 000 sessions per second. It has the processing power, memory and throughput to support high-bandwidth operations like video on demand and voice over IP.

For enterprises that require fewer active sessions and do not require gigabit connectivity, the Alteon Switched Firewall 5408 offers throughput of 600Mbps, with the ability to process 170 000 concurrent sessions and handle flash crowd traffic. It also features built-in firewall load balancing and health checking.

The Alteon Switched Firewall 5100 delivers non-accelerated Check Point firewalls. Customers using this product can upgrade to higher levels of performance by adding a Firewall Accelerator to their cluster when network demands increase.

"Security is a primary concern that will never diminish in importance for the large network user," says De Beer. "A delicate balance has to be achieved between optimum protection and efficient handling of high traffic. The new Alteon products each offer a successful balance at a range of different usage levels to suit individual customers."