NETWORKS

Extreme Networks is delivering network-wide security featuring integrated defense with scalability for 10 Gigabit links. The solution brings the amount of time to mitigate Day Zero threats from hours down to only seconds as the first scalable and dynamic response solution to mitigate attacks instantaneously. Extreme Networks is integrating security into the Ethernet switch, delivering the power to monitor traffic behavior, provide detection, containment and mitigation of threats when combining Extreme's CLEAR-Flow security rules engine and its new Sentriant Virtual Security Resource (VSR) appliance. The solution provides defense against an intense class of Day Zero attacks, threats that lack a signature or previous pattern. These attacks can now be contained before they cripple network performance. "Network availability is the cornerstone of performance yet is jeopardized by security threats that choke-off critical network and security resources," said Suresh Gopalakrishnan, vice president of worldwide marketing for Extreme Networks. "Extreme Networks' security solution addresses these threats and the network's availability when under attack by combining our award-winning switches and the new VSR. The resulting solution automatically detects and rapidly mitigates damaging behavior, at Gigabit and 10 Gigabit speeds." Enterprises and Metro Ethernet service providers are looking for more centralized defense strategies that incorporate security across multiple links running at either 1 or 10 Gigabit speeds. While IDS/IPS solutions can work to block signature-based attacks, they scale only to 1 Gigabit speeds and work with a single link, thus requiring multiple devices to secure the network. "Extreme Networks' centralization of security functionality within the network is a tremendous advancement," said Bill Senter, manager of technical services for Texas Christian University (TCU). "Because the university supports a diverse environment with thousands of students, I have been looking for the security solution that can rapidly and automatically put down network threats without the complexity of deploying a device on every link. With Extreme's CLEAR-Flow and Sentriant, I can begin to realize this goal." An evaluation of Extreme Networks' network-wide security solution demonstrated its behavioral analysis and response capabilities for securing networks at 10 Gigabit speeds. "Extreme Networks recently demonstrated its unique ability to rapidly detect and stop harmful traffic storms including worms and DoS attacks in tests conducted by Iometrix," said Bob Mandeville, chief architect for Iometrix, the network and security testing authority. "The combination of the CLEAR-Flow security rules engine and Sentriant were able to automatically detect and respond to worm storms and DoS attacks across a 10 Gigabit network in seconds. The ability to monitor and respond this rapidly to threats across the entire network at 10 Gigabit speeds is an important next step in allowing enterprises to fortify their LAN infrastructure." CLEAR-Flow Extreme Networks' CLEAR-Flow security rules engine works within the BlackDiamond 10K switch and performs the bulk of the traffic analysis required throughout the network. CLEAR-Flow performs Layer2/3 packet inspection, isolates suspicious traffic and enforces policy based mitigation actions such as stopping the traffic or throttling the bandwidth for the suspicious traffic. If the network policy dictates that the suspicious traffic be analyzed further, then CLEAR-Flow will direct the suspicious traffic to Extreme's Sentriant VSR appliance. In this case the external security appliance takes mitigation actions using the CLEAR-Flow Security Rules Engine and the core switch. The Sentriant Virtual Security Resource Extreme Networks' new Sentriant VSR appliance provides fast mitigation of day zero threats working in tandem with CLEAR-Flow analysis engine. When CLEAR-Flow senses a potentially damaging attack, it mirrors suspicious traffic to the Sentriant VSR appliance. The Sentriant VSR appliance then uses sophisticated rules to detect and pinpoint the source of the attack and renders the offending attack benign in a matter of seconds used alone or in conjunction with CLEAR-Flow. CLEAR-Flow, available now, is standard with the BlackDiamond 10K switch. The Sentriant VSR appliance will be available this summer, at a US list price of $41,995.