ConSentry Networks Enables Comprehensive Guest Access Control for Omneon Video Networks.

Leading Provider of Media Server and Storage Systems Deploys Secure Guest Access with ConSentry Solution

MILPITAS, Calif. -- ConSentry Networks, a leading provider of secure LAN solutions, announced today that Omneon Video Networks is using the ConSentry LANShield[TM] Controller and InSight[TM] Command Center to provide secure guest access for visitors to the company's location. The ConSentry system applies role-based access control and malware protection, so employees gain full LAN access, guests get Internet-only access, and all traffic is monitored to detect and block malware.

Omneon is a leading provider of standard-, high-, and mixed-definition media servers and active storage systems for the broadcast and video industries. It has a global presence, with customers in 55 countries on six continents. A key element of Omneon's competitive advantage is providing an open platform that easily integrates with existing video workflow and content management applications. As a result, partners are often on-site to test their software with Omneon's hardware. To accommodate these frequent visitors, the company needed a way to delineate employees from guests, provide the appropriate access based on the user's role, and block any malware. In addition, Omneon wanted a solution that would work with its existing switch infrastructure, without any changes.

"ConSentry's LANShield Controller provides the LAN security services we needed in a platform that was easy to deploy and didn't require us to make any network changes," said Steve Berg, director of IT for Omneon. "The concept of having a single device to manage guest access was very appealing. And InSight shows us LAN details that we've never seen before."

The ConSentry platform provides four key functions: network admission control, visibility, identity-based control, and threat control. So in addition to restricting guests to Internet-only access, the ConSentry platform also provides Berg a means of preventing the spread of malware. The LANShield platform can identify both known and unknown threats, including zero-day attacks, and gives IT the option to block just the infected application or all traffic from the infected machine. This capability has helped Berg keep the Omneon network free of malware introduced by either employees or guests.

"We've had a number of machines that have been infected, and they've shown up on InSight," says Berg. "Any time you see spyware or viruses introduced into the network, it's unexpected. It's comforting to know that traffic was restricted."

Recently, Berg began using ConSentry's identity-based management to pinpoint whether an internal user's machine is the cause of an infection and needs remediation. "In the past, if there was a virus on the network, you might see the utilization on a switch port go up really high, but trying to tie that down to an actual user is a long and very convoluted task," said Berg. "You've got to get down to the MAC address layer and somehow trace that back to the user's computer and work out which user was logged on. With ConSentry, you immediately see the username, so the troubleshooting is much faster."

Berg plans to evaluate and enable several other ConSentry features as his deployment progresses. For example, he would eventually like to configure InSight to automatically generate an e-mail alert to desktop support personnel if an infected machine is detected. Right now he contacts the support desk when he sees any flagged devices in InSight, but he can implement InSight's alerting feature to automatically generate these e-mails.

"Omneon is typical of a lot of our customers," observed Dan Leary, vice president of marketing for ConSentry. "They started with the contained, immediate issue of guest access but are now leveraging the platform to broaden security controls across the organization."

About ConSentry Networks

ConSentry Networks delivers Control without Compromise with its family of award-winning LANShield platforms - the LANShield[TM] Controller and LANShield Switch. ConSentry enables businesses to protect their corporate assets, ensure continuity of operations, and dramatically reduce the risk of security breaches. ConSentry's LANShield platforms and InSight[TM] Command Center provide network admission control, visibility, identity-based control, and threat control. This combination of pre- and post-admission controls provides enterprises with a simple, proven, and affordable means of integrating security into their LAN infrastructure and controlling access to business resources and applications. Backed by blue-chip venture capital firms that include Accel Partners, DAG Ventures, INVESCO Private Capital, and Sequoia Capital, ConSentry is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

ConSentry Networks, the ConSentry Networks logo, LANShield, and Control without Compromise are trademarks of ConSentry Networks Inc., for use in the United States and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.