Vernier Networks Extends NAM to Remote Users and VoIP Phones

Business Wire, Oct 3, 2005

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- New EdgeWall Rx Appliance and Feature Upgrades Solidify Vernier's Leadership in the Secure Network Access Market

Vernier Networks(R) today announced the addition of the EdgeWall Rx network access management appliance to its EdgeWall product family. EdgeWall Rx extends network access management to remote users, significantly reducing the risk of security threats and intrusions from external devices and limiting access to sensitive assets.

The company also strengthened the entire EdgeWall line by adding support for VoIP phones and bolstering existing support for laptops, desktops and servers by adding clientless policy compliance scans for both managed and unmanaged devices.

"Based on feedback from hundreds of our customers and our significant technology lead, Vernier has been able to take network access management a step further than the competition," said Simon Khalaf, president and CEO of Vernier Networks. "Our innovative approach and strong market lead enable our customers to stop internal security threats and intrusions within the fabric of the network."

EdgeWall Rx: Support for Remote Users

As teleworking gains in popularity and the mobile workforce continues to grow, securing the network from threats that can be acquired over these connections is becoming a critical issue for IT and security departments. Vernier's EdgeWall Rx extends security policies and controls for users physically located within the organization's premises to remote users connecting to the network from home, remote offices or public hot spots.

Supporting IPSec VPNs and SSL VPNs, EdgeWall Rx resides between the VPN concentrator and the network, scanning all devices connecting to the network for worms, viruses and non-compliant software before applying granular access control and enforcing corporate policies.

"We have been working with Vernier on deploying EdgeWall to extend network access management to our remote users," said Al Lopez, data network manager of Leap Wireless. "While several features influenced our decision, the deciding factor was EdgeWall's ability to enforce the same network access policies regardless of where and how the connection was made. With Vernier, we can maintain the same policy for wired, wireless and remote users -- without having to deploy agents on the desktop."

By sitting at the network edge, EdgeWall can catch intruders, worms and viruses immediately, before they wreak havoc in the network, and then remediate user devices. This means the IT manager does not have to quarantine entire subnets to find infected devices or intruders, often saving hundreds of hours of work. It also assures malicious attacks do not proliferate, and intruders are stopped at the first point of entry into the network.

Ideal for distributed organizations with multiple branch offices, EdgeWall Rx can be deployed between subnets and at the connection between headquarters and branch offices minimizing capital outlays and reducing management support time by supporting geographically distributed users with a single cost-effective appliance.

As an extension of the EdgeWall product family, EdgeWall Rx is also governed by Vernier's Control Server, a centralized management and control station that enables administrators to create and manage security policies from a central location.

Enhanced EdgeWall features: Support for VoIP

According to research firm Radicati Group, worldwide corporate phone lines using VoIP will jump to 74 percent by 2009. In a recent report, Radicati anticipated that there will be a growth spurt between 2006 and 2008, when many legacy PBXs are ready to be replaced.

To prevent security threats such as worms, viruses and other intrusions from unauthorized VoIP phones, Vernier's EdgeWall appliances now authenticate VoIP phones and apply network access management measures to these phones. VoIP phones are also scanned for policy compliance and software vulnerabilities before they are allowed access to the network. The result is a more secure communications network, safe from downtime and disruptions due to a security breach.

In addition to over 3,500 vulnerability scans, EdgeWall can also conduct software policy compliance scans to devices connecting to the network. This enables network administrators to define the minimum set of software compliance, such as OS version and patches, up-to-date virus protection and personal firewall configuration, before allowing devices on the network. As the industry's only completely clientless solution, administrators can enjoy this level of control without deploying agents on the desktop.

Vernier's EdgeWall security appliance is the industry's only clientless network access management product to defend against intrusions and attacks on the network by screening users and devices, restricting access, inspecting traffic for worms and viruses, and enforcing access policy. Unlike desktop-based solutions that rely on end-user integrity, EdgeWall is entirely network-based with no desktop footprint, keeping security and access control in the hands of the IT department, and making it ideal for both managed and unmanaged devices. The result is easier deployment across the enterprise, simplified management and a lower total cost of ownership.