Alcatel Announces OmniAccess 512 with VPN for Branch Office Security
Alcatel CrystalSec enterprise security framework extends to the branch
Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced the addition of VPN (Virtual Private Network) capabilities to its OmniAccess 512 branch office solution. The announcement is part of Alcatel’s CrystalSec enterprise security initiative that provides the security framework for all Omni voice and data products. This new VPN capability ensures that sensitive enterprise information is not compromised when voice and data communications are extended to the branch office.
Designed to connect branch offices to corporate sites, the Alcatel OmniAccess 512 combines LAN switching, WAN routing, VoIP (Voice over IP), firewall, and VPN security offering multi-service access to the enterprise backbone. The addition of Alcatel’s award-winning VPN technology to OmniAccess branch solutions allows mobile users access to enterprise resources using low-cost Internet connections without compromising security. The OmniAccess 512 saves costs in monthly service fees and operational expenses by using a common network infrastructure for all voice and data applications. It eliminates the need for several dedicated network facilities to support the branch office.
“Offering secure voice and data applications to the branch office is one of the highest priorities of the network manager today,” said Joelle Gauthier, Alcatel vice president of network infrastructure marketing. “By adding VPN capability to a strong feature set that includes web-based applications, IP telephony, and traditional circuit switched voice, the Alcatel OmniAccess 512 increases the choices a network manager has for connecting the branch network.”
The OmniAccess 512 supports up to 100 IPSec tunnels for any combination of client sessions and VLANs (Virtual LANs). With throughput of up to 2 Mbps, the Alcatel OmniAccess 512 is perfect for serving branch offices using WAN links up to E1 speeds. A unique capability of the OmniAccess 512 is the ability to maintain IP QoS (Quality of Service) tags on encrypted traffic, which ensures that branch office traffic is properly prioritised from end to end as it traverses the network.
The Alcatel OmniAccess 512 interoperates with most security appliances at the central location, including the Alcatel OmniAccess 200 series, which is designed to address IPSec communications to remote sites and mobile users via the VPN Client software application. The OmniAccess 512 VPN feature uses a hardware assist chip, which off-loads the VPN and data compression, assuring maximum utilisation of WAN (Wide Area Network) resources. As part of its security, the Alcatel OmniAccess 512 supports NAT (Network Address Translation) and authenticated VLANs.
The Alcatel OmniAccess 512 VPN implementation supports IPSec, Diffie-Hellman key exchange, MD5 and SHA-1 hashing functions, DSA and RSA digital signatures, DES, 3DES and AEA encryption algorithms, as well as standards-based authentication systems, including shared secret, RADIUS, LDAP, X.509 PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) certificates and smart cards.
Pricing and Availability
The OmniAccess 512 with VPN will be available worldwide June 2002. Pricing for the Alcatel OmniAccess 512 starts at £2,068, pricing with VPN option starts at £2958.
About Alcatel
Alcatel (NYSE: ALA) designs, develops and builds innovative and competitive communications networks, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver any type of content, such as voice, data and multimedia, to any type of consumer, anywhere in the world. Relying on its leading and comprehensive products and solutions portfolio, stretching from end-to-end optical infrastructures, fixed and mobile networks to broadband access, Alcatel’s customers can focus on optimising their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of $22 billion (EURO 25 billion) in 2001 and 99,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com