New access solution combining the best of SSL VPN and NAC

At Interop, Array Networks announced its new SPX Unified Access Controller (UAC), that combines key VPN and NAC capabilities to deliver a new breed of intelligent secure access and control for enterprise networks. UAC seamlessly integrates user and endpoint identity management, enforcement and resource access with performance and scalability to address all forms of LAN, WAN, wireless and remote access.

Array’s UAC is a single system solution that uses Array’s existing SPX SSL VPN hardware and avoids the expensive and disruptive forklift upgrades or deployment of multiple in-line network devices typically required by alternative NAC solutions. Its unique Resource Publishingâ„? feature provides intelligent network access by limiting the applications and network resources that are exposed on the network. Restricting access to only specific application and network resources is particularly important to today’s enterprise that opens its network to third parties such as partners and contractors.

Until now, SSL VPN devices have performed much of the NAC functionality for remote users, but did not have the functionality or performance to perform these functions across LANs and WANs. Now, Array is leveraging the unique capabilities of its SiteDirectâ„?, the first site-to-site SSL VPN, and its new PowerClusterâ„?, which enables up to thirty-two units to be clustered together in an N+1 fashion to provide hyper-availability without a single point of failure to any user or endpoint served by the Array UAC.

PowerCluster significantly increases reliability and throughput across the entire network to 27 Mbps throughput. In addition, Array has introduced a unique distribution technique which automatically balances the sessions across the units in a cluster. Combined with its stateful session failover, PowerCluster provides extreme reliability, scalability and throughput which is unmatched by the competition.

To address user and endpoint identity management, Array’s Intelligent End-Point goes beyond standard endpoint scanning to include environmental detection of device type, software, patch detection, and bandwidth detection. Now policies can be designed to react to the condition of the end-point, which significantly increases security and eases management.

SiteDirect (Best of Interop Finalist) and PowerCluster are available immediately on all SPX series systems with Release 8.1 or higher. Array Intelligent End-Point and ActiveRemedy will be available this summer.