IBM beefs up its SNA/IP router

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - IBM is trying to beef up security over corporate WANs.

IBM this week will announce automated public-key encryption for its high-end 2216 Nways Multiaccess Connector SNA/IP router.

IBM's Multiprotocol Access Service (MAS) Version 3.3, adds support for Internet Key Encryption (IKE), a method for automated distribution of public keys across a network. It can work with RSA Data Security's public key system and the government's Digital Signature Standard.

IKE is particularly useful when keys must be changed on a regular basis, freeing administrators from the task, says Jim Goethals, enterprise solutions product marketing manager at NHD.

Also new to MAS is Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). This will let the 2216 access user profiles and implement quality of service policies from any LDAP directory.

To guarantee that authorized users or workgroups get priority for their data, NHD will support Differentiated Services in MAS.

NHD has beefed up the 2216's ability to serve as a Web cache. Up to 16 of the devices can now be linked together and act as one massive cache, which can serve up frequently requested Web pages, reducing the load on a WAN connection.

MAS Version 3.3 will be available in June.