SonicWALL Unveils New High-Performance Security Processor
Custom ASIC Accelerates VPN Throughput, Delivers Ten Times The Processing Power of Existing SonicWALL Solutions
SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 1, 2001–SonicWALL, Inc., (Nasdaq:SNWL), a leading provider of Internet security solutions, today announced its new high performance security processor. This custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) will be incorporated into SonicWALL’s full line of Internet security appliances to create the industry’s most advanced hardware platform for integrating firewall, VPN and a range of other value-added security services. SonicWALL will also license the ASIC to OEM partners to incorporate strong, high performance security into their networking and security products.
The SonicWALL ASIC accelerates Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) VPN throughput to a maximum speed of 45 Mbps by offloading encryption processing from the SonicWALL Internet security appliance’s central processing unit. Removing the burden of encryption processing frees the CPU for other purposes, including the processing of additional security services such as Network Anti-Virus, Content Filtering and strong authentication using digital certificates and a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
“SonicWALL is the leading supplier of VPN hardware solutions worldwide, and we’re constantly improving our product line to meet our customers’ needs for an affordable security solution that integrates all of their security needs,” said Sreekanth Ravi, President and CEO of SonicWALL. “This latest technological advance in our product line creates an even more powerful Internet security platform capable of delivering access security, VPN and other security services with very high performance.”
In addition to integrating the new security processor into its own product line, SonicWALL is making the ASIC available to key OEM partners for the design of other high performance, integrated security products.
“SonicWALL has helped us provide the performance and reliability our customers demand to protect the privacy of their corporate assets,” said Sandra England, president of PGP Security, A Network Associates Business and a SonicWALL OEM partner. “The new ASIC will only enhance our PGP E-ppliance offering with a price/performance ratio virtually unmatched in the industry.”
Product Features and Availability
The SonicWALL ASIC accelerates today’s standard IP Security (IPSec) algorithms, including Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) and Data Encryption Standard (DES), Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1) and Message Digest (MD5). The ASIC architecture further facilitates security processing by providing an IPSec-optimized interface to the host system. The new ASIC also integrates hardware-based random number generation and a bus-mastering PCI interface. No other external components for IPSec processing are required, which results in a highly integrated and low cost system design.
ASIC samples and design kits are available to SonicWALL OEM partners immediately, with production quantities available in Q2 of 2001.
About SonicWALL, Inc.
SonicWALL, Inc. is the leading provider of integrated Internet security appliances offering access security, transaction security and security services for the enterprise, e-commerce, SME and education markets. Core technologies include firewall, VPN, SSL, high availability, anti-virus, strong authentication with digital certificates and content filtering. Together, these products and technologies provide the most comprehensive Distributed Security Architecture available. SonicWALL, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA. SonicWALL trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol SNWL. For more information, contact SonicWALL at 408/745-9600 or visit the company Web site at http://www.sonicwall.com.
Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect SonicWALL’s actual results include, but are not limited to, the “Risk Factors” described in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Prospectus dated March 16, 2000. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to SonicWALL as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement.
Note to Editors: SonicWALL is a registered trademark of SonicWALL, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.