Lucent Technologies offers free trial of RealNet Rules Policy Management application

Lucent Technologies has announced that RealNet Rules (RNR) Enterprise Policy Manager Release 1.0 will be available for free trial to all Lucent clients upgrading to P550 version 4.0 software, or any customer purchasing one or more Layer 3 chassis or supervisor modules. RealNet Rules is Lucent`s acclaimed application for using business policies to manage Quality of Service (QoS) and security by user and application in today`s networked business.

"With this introductory promotion, clients will have the ability to get first hand experience implementing policy-based networking and building next generation Multiservice Networks at no extra cost," says Angus Peacey, regional manager for Lucent Technologies sub-Saharan Africa Enterprise InterNetworking Systems.

The duration of the promotional period is through the availability of RNR release 1.0. The promotion will end when RNR release 1.1 becomes available. "At the end of the promotional period customers will have the option to purchase release 1.1 of RNR at the base price plus incremental fees for any optional feature modules selected," says Peacey.

RealNet Rules Explained

Lucent`s RealNet Rules is a Java-based, client/server software application running on Windows NT and Sun Solaris platforms that allows IT professionals to define specific rules, or policies, regarding how network resources will be used, by whom and at what times. These rules are expressions that articulate key business priorities and offer the ability to facilitate or hinder network resource access and availability for particular purposes.

RealNet Rules improves reliability and network consistency by automating a series of heretofore manual and error-prone processes that determine individual or group access to network resources and applications across an enterprise. The performance of the network in accordance with these policies is monitored and measured to ensure the policy is being met, and potentially conflicting policies are arbitrated. Adjustments are made automatically to the network in order to ensure the active policies are being executed and enforced.

RealNet Rules also reduces complexity by providing an intuitive graphical user interface. It allows network managers to implement easy-to-understand and high-level network rules, translates these rules into detailed configurations and applies them to the network in support of their business needs. Policies are stored in a directory and can be accessed via LDAP-enabled devices and applications.

In its initial release, RealNet Rules will support Lucent`s Cajun P550 Gigabit Switch and Cajun M770 Multifunction Switch, plus legacy Cisco routers. The Cajun Switches provide unparalleled capabilities, such as an LDAP client, packet-by-packet classification and priority queuing and filtering decisions at wire-speed, that support a robust policy-based infrastructure regardless of the amount of rules configured. RealNet Rules also utilizes a proxy engine that translates standards-based schema stored in a directory into a command-based file that can be understood by non-LDAP-capable devices, including Cisco routers and switches running IOS version 11.2 or higher.

Integration With Lucent`s QIP Enterprise

RealNet Rules integrates with QIP Enterprise 5.0, Lucent`s IP address management software that automates and manages IP name and address services utilizing Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Dynamic Domain Name Services (DDNS). QIP has been deployed in over 500 enterprise and service provider networks, including the six largest U.S. commercial banks and 50 percent of the Fortune 500 telecommunications companies. By leveraging QIP`s registration and authentication capabilities, RealNet Rules dynamically applies consistent policies based on user identity regarding QoS and access to network applications, regardless of a user`s physical access location.

RealNet Rules will utilize any LDAPv3-compliant directory services repository for policy, user and related configuration data. Lucent`s RealNet Rules includes Novell`s Novell Directory Services (NDS), the most widely deployed directory services today. Lucent is working closely with Novell to advance the development and adoption of directory-enabled networking standards and policy-based networking.

Upcoming releases of RealNet Rules will support additional members of Lucent`s Cajun Campus family of local area network switches, as well as other devices in Lucent`s enterprise data networking portfolio, plus functionality in the security and application services areas.