Intel rolls out enterprise VPN gear

By April Jacobs
Network World, 09/18/00

FRAMINGHAM, MASS. - Intel unveiled VPN products last week designed to give enterprise users a simple, secure way to connect remote and branch offices over the Internet.

The new VPN Gateway devices, which are part of Intel's NetStructure network product line, can provide users with a secure alternative to private networks by letting them route their information over the Internet's public pipes through encrypted VPN tunnels. The products can also provide an alternative to expensive leased lines and help reduce remote dial-up charges.

Research suggests that more companies will begin to use VPN hardware and software over the next few years. For example, Infonetics Research in San Jose predicts the worldwide market for VPN equipment and software will more than triple from $1.2 billion this year to $3.7 billion in 2004.

Intel says it will also sell its line of VPN products to application service providers and hosting service providers that want to offer enterprise users managed VPN services. Those services could include secure pipelines to the data and applications those users have at hosted data centers. UUNET has Intel's VPN products available through its VPN Vendor Alliance Program.

Intel's VPN Gateway products comply with the IP Security 1.1 industry security standard and include an International Computer Security Association firewall, unlimited remote clients and a BlackIce Defender personal firewall.

Intel has four VPN Gateways in its product line. The high-end VPN gateways - the Intel NetStructure 3130 and 3125 VPN Gateways - feature up to 95M bit/sec of throughput and 10,000 simultaneous connection tunnels. The 3130 also features additional PCI slots for expansion. The 3125 features the same performance metrics as the 3130 but is a single-rack unit model. Both the 3130 and 3125 include the Intel NetStructure VPN Management Suite, which allows for security audits and usage analysis.

The 3120 VPN Gateway offers up to 20M bit/sec of throughput and 2,000 simultaneous tunnels for a midsize to large branch office or small central site. The low-end 3110 VPN Gateway features up to 2M bit/sec of throughput and 100 simultaneous tunnel connections for a small or midsize branch office.

Intel says it will offer a VPN software upgrade for its Express 8200 and 9500 routers to allow existing customers to integrate VPN, firewall, and WAN access and routing features without having to buy more hardware components. Those routers can be used in conjunction with Intel's VPN Gateways to connect small sites with central offices.

The Intel NetStructure 3110, 3120 and 3130 VPN Gateways are available for $3,495, $10,995 and $20,995, respectively. The 3125 VPN Gateway will be available in mid-November for $20,995. The VPN upgrade for the Express 8200 and 9500 routers will be later this month for $499 for a single upgrade, or $3,499 for a 10-device upgrade.