E-Mail: HP Announces Secure, Browser-based OpenMail Solution - combines OpenMail e-mail software and VirtualVault 3.5 Web search program - Company Business and Marketing

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, April 5, 1999

Hewlett-Packard Company Tuesday announced a new program that combines HP OpenMail with the HP VirtualVault trusted Web platform, enabling organizations to reduce the costs of supporting remote e-mail users dramatically while greatly simplifying access.

The program integrates HP's OpenMail enterprise messaging solution with the HP Praesidium VirtualVault 3.5 trusted Web-server platform, enabling organizations to provide remote users convenient and direct access to their e-mail from any device that provides Internet access via a standard Web browser. This solution is based on the next version of OpenMail, which is being demonstrated this week at the Electronic Messaging Association (EMA) conference in Dallas.

The integration of OpenMail and VirtualVault eliminates the need for remote users to rely on dial-up networking or carry a laptop to access e-mail from remote locations. OpenMail users simply access an SSL-secured URL from any device with an Internet browser, including PDAs, Web phones, walk-up terminals and PCs. The browser accesses OpenMail Web client software located on a VirtualVault server. The server then connects users to their OpenMail accounts on OpenMail servers inside the corporate firewall.

With this solution, companies can reduce their investment in remote-access systems, private networking, and associated support and help-desk staff. HP estimates that it can cost organizations up to $500 annually to support a remote user. By using OpenMail with VirtualVault, organizations can reduce these costs by as much as 75 percent.

"OpenMail has always been recognized for its lowest total cost of ownership," said Nigel Upton, general manager of HP's Communications Software Operation. "Now, by extending OpenMail environments with VirtualVault, organizations can greatly reduce the complexity and costs of operating remote e-mail."

VirtualVault uses trusted mandatory security mechanisms to block sophisticated attacks on the OpenMail client, the boundary Web server and internal corporate OpenMail servers. Attackers cannot modify Web pages nor modify legitimate application code.

"As the demand for remote access expands, conventional managed firewall systems don't provide scalability," said Roberto Medrano, general manager of HP's Internet Security Division. "This solution is an excellent example of how VirtualVault delivers an innovative solution that enables cost-effective, secure remote access to mainstream corporate applications. Without VirtualVault, these benefits would not be possible."

OpenMail, with an installed base of more than 10 million seats, is HP's UNIX system business messaging and collaboration solution, based on Internet standards, that provides a technology foundation for building e-services solutions. OpenMail is designed for the heterogeneous environments often found in large enterprises and is used by many world-class businesses and service providers as the core of their communications infrastructures.

Information about OpenMail can be found on the World Wide Web, at www.hp.com/go/openmail.> HP VirtualVault, installed worldwide in more than 100 banks with combined assets of more than $5.6 trillion, is the world's most widely used trusted Web-server platform. VirtualVault integrates the Netscape Enterprise Server with VirtualVault's own security-hardened operating system and trusted gateway/secure IPC technologies. VirtualVault shields Web servers that act as an entry point for transaction-oriented, e-services. These applications rely on real-time communications with business-critical resources within the corporate intranet that require maximum security. Examples include e-banking, online business collaboration, self-service human-resource processes and online trading.

HP's Internet Security Division HP's Internet Security Division delivers world-class, multiplatform enterprise security software that makes intranets and extranets safe for electronic business. In addition to VirtualVault, the Praesidium product portfolio includes DomainGuard Access and DomainGuard Rules, powerful Web authorization managers; Authorization Server, the only enterprise authorization manager that protects both Web and non-Web applications; the Extranet VPN and the e-Firewall. More information about these pace-setting security products and services can be found at http://www.hp.com/security.> Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 122,800 employees and had revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year.

Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.