Novell reveals details of iChain 2.0

Novell has revealed details about Novell iChain 2.0, a faster, more scalable and flexible version of the company`s Web security software. iChain allows organisations to secure their Web environments, control user access to those environments, and provide users single sign-on to virtually all Web-based applications and content. Today iChain is helping organisations like the UK Ministry of Defence and Micro General build one Net by securing the data and applications they expose to customers, employees, partners and suppliers on the Web.

According to Novell sales manager James Thomas, studies consistently show that executives have one overarching concern about opening their networks to customers and partners - security. "As companies merge their intranets and extranets into the Internet, keeping track of who needs access to what becomes a significant technical challenge. Novell`s iChain, built on the industry-leading NDS eDirectory, helps companies address this challenge."

Beneficial Life, one of the US`s strongest insurers, has selected iChain as the security platform for its presence on the Net. Beneficial Life uses iChain for authentication and authorisation of its national sales force over the Internet, allowing 769 financial planners to have easy, secure and full access to all internal information and enabling centralised security administration, resulting in minimal technical support and lower operating costs.

"We pride ourselves on our high level of credibility, honesty and reliability. With Novell`s technology, we are able to keep our high standards by ensuring that all information in the system is available to our sales force over the Internet," said Edward Cheadle, director of Technical Services for Beneficial Life.

"Thanks to eDirectory and iChain, field employees of Beneficial Life now log into the network securely and access data and applications without the annoyance of multiple logins or VPN clients," Cheadle added. "Novell`s Net services software has enabled us to use technology in a way that allows our sales force access to more up-to-date information, resulting in fewer helpdesk inquiries, lower administrative costs, and home office employees that are much more effective."

This latest version of iChain offers customers a number of new features and enhancements:

• .         XML-based Form Fill - Using XML, iChain can now provide single sign-on to virtually all Web-based applications and data, without requiring customised programming or plug-ins.

• .         Advanced Authentication - iChain now gives customers the option of adding token-based authentication from leading vendors such as ActivCard, RSA Security and Vasco to their Web-based systems, in addition to standard username/password, smart cards and certificate-based methods currently available.

• .         Improved management - The addition of several new management wizards has reduced iChain`s basic installation time from more than a day to as little as two hours. .

• .         Increased scalability - Customers can now link a virtually unlimited number of iChain servers together to balance the load created by potentially millions of authentication requests while still giving an uninterrupted end-user experience.

• .         Enhanced performance - iChain is now significantly faster at processing user authentication requests, allowing those users to quickly connect to Web resources.

"iChain is an ideal Web security solution for a number of our clients," said Laurie Teal, president of IT Systems and Consulting, a systems integrator and Novell Platinum Partner based in Long Island, N.Y. "Not only is iChain tremendously effective at securing Web-based content and applications, but, coupled with eDirectory, it has the scalability and performance needed to match the requirements of even the largest organisations. Perhaps most important, iChain offers a better price for performance and therefore a better return on investment than any other Web security technology."

"During today`s challenging economic times, iChain presents a very compelling solution for simplifying Web-access administration and securing Web environments," concludes Thomas. "First, its proxy-based architecture allows companies to leverage, not replace, their current technology investment; and second, it offers an extremely impressive price for performance versus the competition. Certainly, iChain is solid technology, but it`s also a solid business investment."