VPN vendors to put on a big show

Gear to build larger, more manageable virtual private networks on tap at ComNet/DC '99.

By Tim Greene
Network World, 01/25/99

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Big numbers will be the big deal among virtual private network (VPN) vendors this week at ComNet/DC '99, and the number to beat is 20,000.

That is the tally of individual secure Internet sessions that can be terminated on a single VPN server made by Santa Cruz, Calif., start-up Network Alchemy, Inc., which is making its debut at the show. Not only that, Network Alchemy claims that up to 255 of its VPNServer 5000 boxes can be grouped to load-share even more connections.

Other vendors' VPN wares top out at 5,000 simultaneous connections on a single box.

VPNs are designed to let companies use the Internet or other public IP networks as an inexpensive backbone over which far-flung users can access corporate resources. VPNs use encryption and authentication technology to ensure that only authorized users can access the corporate net and that those users can only access specified resources.

The hardware vendors are right to be focusing on VPNs that can support more users, according to Joe Turner, network coordinator for Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Mass. The college is testing a VPN that could eventually support 5,000 or more users, he says. So far, the VPN appears to be the best way to let campus residents, commuters, alumni and distance-learning students in Bermuda tie in to campus network resources.

In addition, Turner says it will be key for VPN providers to deliver tools that let network administrators set access rights for groups of users.

New boxes, better software

Network Alchemy set out to make a VPN system that could scale to large numbers, according to Ken Chow, the company's vice president of marketing. The company will introduce the CryptoCluster VPN server system, which includes the CryptoStation client, CryptoConsole management tool and the VPNServer 5000 hardware.

To use the system, clients must run the CryptoStation on Windows 95, 98 or NT platforms. The operating system for the VPN Server 5000s is DaveOS, named after the company's chief technology officer, Dave Kashtan.

The servers perform Data Encryption Standard 3 (DES-3) encryption at 100M bit/sec on a dual 400-MHz Intel Pentium II hardware platform. The boxes will be available this spring and will cost about $50,000, including clients and a Java-based management platform called CryptoConsole. The company plans a smaller server for smaller companies later this year.

In addition to Network Alchemy's coming out, ComNet will see VPN specialists Altiga Networks, Assured Digital, Indus River and VPNet announce new capabilities that allow for larger VPNs as well as better management of them.

The new products represent the third generation of VPN gear, according to Greg Howard, an analyst at market research firm Infonetics Research in San Jose. The first wave of VPN products was mainly software for Internet tunneling, while the second wave consisted largely of hardware products designed to speed up VPNs.

Here's a rundown of VPN products that will be highlighted at the show:

Altiga will boast that its C50 VPN concentrator can terminate 5,000 separate sessions and will attempt to prove it with a demonstration at ComNet's VPN Proving Ground, an area of the show where vendors are offering their wares for hands-on testing. The C50 supports the IP Security (IPSec) protocol as well as DES-3 encryption at 100M bit/sec. The C50 costs $50,000.

VPNet will introduce its VSU-1100, a server that terminates up to 5,000 VPN sessions. It supports IPSec and DES-3 encryption at 90M bit/sec. The five-slot chassis holds two Ethernet cards, two packet processing cards and another card that contains a configuration database, as well as hardware to speed up public-key ex-changes. The box costs $18,000 and is available now.

The company also will introduce a management tool, called Dyna-Policy, that allows network administrators to change client VPN configurations automatically when end users log on. The tool keeps track of VPN use by client so network managers can bill back to departments. It also enables real-time viewing of VPN use. Dyna-Policy is part of VPNware System 2.5, the latest version of the company's management software, which is shipping with current orders. It is also available as an upgrade to VPNet gear running earlier versions.

Indus River is announcing RiverWorks 2.0, an upgrade of its management software that lets users define and enforce VPN access policies. Policies can be set per user group to simplify installing and supporting remote clients, the company says. Indus River is giving the software to new buyers of its hardware. Version 2.0 is a free upgrade for users who have service contracts.

Assured Digital is introducing a VPN box called the ADI-2500. The product features a T-1 interface to connect to the Internet and two 10M bit/sec Ethernet ports to connect to server farms and other LAN resources. The box can handle up to 100 IPSec encrypted dial-up sessions, 32 connections to other ADI-2500 or ADI-1500 boxes at other locations or a combination of the two. It will be available this spring and priced at $3,000.

Network Alchemy: (831) 460-3800; Altiga: (508) 541-7300; VPNet: (408) 445-6600; Indus River: (978) 266-8100; Assured Digital: (978) 486-0555