Lucent Technologies Announces Availability, Pricing of RealNet Rules Policy Management Application - network management software - Product Announcement

Cambridge Telcom Report, Dec 6, 1999

Lucent Technologies Tuesday announced the availability of RealNet Rules, the company's acclaimed enterprise policy management application that allows network managers to drive network operation according to business processes and needs.

RealNet Rules is a cornerstone member of Lucent's policy-based networking and advanced network management product line. With RealNet Rules, network managers can address unique requirements for business-critical applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and supply chain management, eBusiness applications and Internet Protocol (IP) telephony.

RealNet Rules is based on an open, scalable design employing schemas established in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF) standards groups. RealNet Rules is a Java-based client/server application that runs on Microsoft Windows NT platforms, and enables the integration of policy management with scalable directory systems using the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).

RealNet Rules works with leading LDAP-enabled directories including Novell Inc.'s Novell Directory Services (NDS) eDirectory and Netscape Communications Corp.'s Directory Server. RealNet Rules also integrates with Lucent's industry-leading QIP 5.0 IP address management system, allowing managers to combine user and application policies with dynamic IP management using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Domain Name Server (DNS) and QIP advanced application modules, including Registration Manager.

In Release 1.0 of RealNet Rules, network managers can build business-driven networks using Lucent's award-winning Cajun P550 Gigabit Routing Switch, and can support advanced applications and services such as Lucent IP telephony products such as DEFINITY IP Solutions and the IP Exchange Server.

Lucent has worked closely with Novell over the last year to enable the first standalone releases of Novell NDS to work with RealNet Rules.

"RealNet Rules is the first step towards a unified solution that empowers the directory to manage both voice and data services," said David Shirk, vice president of product marketing for Novell. "The combination of RealNet Rules and Novell's NDS eDirectory provides customers with a single point of administration for data and voice networks users along with associated devices. This will greatly streamline the network administration process."

Lucent is offering an optional bundle for RealNet Rules that allow customers to acquire RealNet Rules and Novell's NDS eDirectory at the same time.

"We are delighted to make our industry-leading policy management application available in combination with our award-winning multiservice Cajun Switches," said Menachem E. Abraham, president of Lucent's Enterprise InterNetworking Systems group. "RealNet Rules is an invaluable tool for truly running the enterprise network based on business' needs."

RealNet Rules is available now and has a U.S. list price of $9,995 per server. In upcoming releases, the policy management application will support additional devices in Lucent's data networking portfolio. Upcoming releases of RealNet Rules will support selected third-party devices and applications.

RealNet Rules was named a "Best of Show" finalist in the Network Management and Analysis category at the Spring 1999 NetWorld Interop show in Las Vegas.

Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for the company. Additional information about Lucent Technologies is available on the company's Web site at www.lucent.com.