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Alcatel Expands CrystalSec Framework To Address Enterprises

Alcatel broadened its CrystalSec security framework with the introduction of the Alcatel Quarantine Engine, strengthening the Alcatel OmniSwitch's ability to play an active role in preventing and containing security issues facing enterprise today. The company also announced two new relationships with endpoint security leader Sygate and network security leader Fortinet. These new additions to Alcatel's CrystalSec security framework provide enterprises and business partners with the unique ability to source best-of-breed security solutions from one networking company, while offering the industry's best value in network-enabled security.

Attack Prevention

Through a combination of endpoint security leader Sygate Technologies' Host Integrity Solution and Alcatel's unique OmniSwitch dynamic virtual LAN (VLAN) capability, Alcatel now offers enterprises a best-of-breed endpoint security solution that delivers proactive virus and worm attack prevention, enabling continuous compliance with corporate security policies. This new solution uses Sygate's host integrity, protection, enforcement, and remediation technology, along with 802.1x technology to ensure that devices accessing the network are secured by anti-virus software containing updated virus definitions, a personal firewall, operating system service packs and patches. Alcatel's dynamic VLANs take this measure one step further by allowing the device to move from a quarantine VLAN to a working VLAN with no user intervention.

The complete solution lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) by automatically checking host integrity against pre-established host security policies. It prevents the non-compliant host from accessing critical resources by placing them in a quarantine VLAN and automatically upgrading clients to bring them to a fully secure and functional state-all without helpdesk intervention or a switch configuration change.

Attack Containment

Alcatel's new Automated Quarantine Engine (AQE) is revolutionary software technology that collects information from intrusion detection and prevention systems and dynamically re-configures the network to contain attacks. Upon detection of an attack, the AQE locates the offender and implements a network response. In the case of a virus or worm attack, the AQE will place the infected device into an Alcatel quarantine VLAN that is applied to the edge of the network. Using Alcatel's mobile VLAN technology, the infected device will be blacklisted -- even if the infected intruder moves to another location.

The AQE allows IT managers to mitigate the source of an attack at the network's edge before it attacks core enterprise resources and applications. Unlike single vendor solutions, AQE works with a wide variety of intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS and IPS). It is the first product to allow IDS, IPS, firewall and network security layers to work as a unit rather than as independent security devices.

"Alcatel's Edge Quarantine protects our network from students and the students from themselves," said Arthur Brant, network administrator for Abilene Christian University, located in Abilene, Texas. "Our Snort-based sensors generate alerts and Alcatel's OmniSwitch technology automatically does the rest. It is very simple and extremely powerful."

Perimeter Solutions

Complementing Alcatel's containment solution, Alcatel's new relationship with network security leader Fortinet enables Alcatel to offer a wide range of the company's security products, including its flagship ASIC-powered FortiGate Antivirus Firewalls. Fortinet's FortiGate Antivirus Firewall systems are complete content security solutions that protect against the growing number of costly, content-based threats at the network's edge, while delivering the highest possible performance. They combine antivirus, firewall, VPN, content filtering and intrusion detection/ prevention in a single, easy to manage and cost-effective system. All FortiGate systems are kept up to date automatically through Fortinet's FortiProtect Network, which delivers continuous and automatic "push" updates that ensure protection against the latest viruses, worms, Trojans and other threats -- around the clock, and around the world.

"Alcatel's strategy is to match its own focused best-of-breed LAN switch family with equally focused security vendors such as Sygate and Fortinet," said Tom Burns, senior vice president and general manager of Alcatel's Enterprise Network Infrastructure Business activity. "This new disruptive business and technology model is unique because our business partners and their customers can obtain a complete tested and validated security solution and services from Alcatel -- circumventing the complexities associated with obtaining solutions from multiple vendors while offering a best-of-breed, best value solution. "