NetD is about to launch its multi-function platform that includes VPN support in branch offices.

While some vendors are coming at the problem by adding on to their previous firewall/VPN gear, NetD started out with pencil and paper and designed its hardware and software to be an office in a box, as the company's marketing material says. The device includes a firewall and support for IPSec site-to-site VPNs, but it has enough horsepower to support other functionality as well without affecting performance.

As a result of the ground-up design, the mix of functionality on the device will be different from what other vendors offer, most notably its support for VoIP. Initially, it will handle QoS and priority queuing to make for quality voice calls, but later releases of the device will support a full-fledged IP PBX, the company says. Later on, the company plans to upgrade its hardware to support power over Ethernet so branch offices using this gear won't need separate telephone wiring. The PoE will also support wireless access points.

The new box will also include routing, Ethernet switching, and intrusion detection and prevention.

Management of the device is insulated from the data plane and control plane, so if the data and control software get fouled up, users can still connect to the machine's management to straighten things out. This feature makes the box attractive not only to businesses with multiple sites, but also to service providers that want to avoid sending technicians to customer sites at all costs.

The company's new box comes out Monday. Stay tuned for details.

Tim Greene is senior editor at Network World.