* Symantec adds SSL remote access gear to its portfolio
Symantec, which makes a variety of security gear, will add Secure Sockets Layer remote access equipment to its arsenal. The company this month will ship two appliances it calls the Clientless VPN Gateway Series that support remote users accessing networks over the Internet using Web browsers on PCs or handhelds.
The two boxes are called the 4420 and 4460. Both come with two 10/100 Ethernet ports; the 4420 has the option to add four more ports and the 4460 six more. The smaller box can handle up to 350 concurrent sessions, and the larger one up to 1,000. The boxes can be clustered to support a maximum of 5,000 concurrent users.
Symantec is known for a variety of security products from anti-virus software to firewalls to intrusion detection. While the 4400 series will initially be an SSL remote access-only box, the company plans to incorporate the SSL software into its Gateway Security tool. This means customers will be able to upgrade a 4400 to include all the security functions of Gateway Security, which include a firewall, intrusion detection and prevention, anti-virus, URL filtering and anti-spam. It also includes support for IPSec VPNs.
Symantec doesn’t say when this will happen, but it is becoming a familiar theme that security vendors expand the features one box can support to attract customers who want to use fewer boxes or have multiple security layers but not have to deal with lots of vendors.
As usual, customers must evaluate whether the caliber of the offerings meet with their standards, budget and technical expertise.
Pricing for the 4400 series starts at $10,000.
