Covergence Delivers End-to-End Security with New Secure Connections Program.

New program helps organizations securely connect users to services at the access edge

MAYNARD, Mass. -- Covergence Inc., the leader in scaling, securing and controlling VoIP and other real-time services at the access edge, today announced the launch of its Secure Connections Program, which is designed to enable organizations to deploy VoIP and real-time collaboration services quickly and securely to an array of SIP endpoints. Participation in the Secure Connections Program requires that an organization's VoIP and real-time collaboration endpoints pass a series of tests to ensure they can deliver comprehensive, end-to-end security when used with Covergence's Eclipse[TM] access-edge session border controller (aSBC).

Covergence's Eclipse aSBC combines traditional session-border-control functionality with comprehensive security features and management tools to allow organizations to scale performance, reliability and quality predictably at the access edge of the network. Eclipse also enables the rapid deployment of new revenue-generating services such as presence-enabled instant messaging (IM), audio, video, multimedia conferencing, click-to-dial and many other services.

"We are launching this program in response to customer requests," said Bob O'Neil, president and CEO, Covergence. "Many of our customers need comprehensive VoIP security to sell their solutions into the business markets. Accordingly, our customers asked us to take on the responsibility of testing and delivering end-to-end security solutions so that they could focus on other deployment issues."

An extensive number of devices and applications have already been tested to work with Eclipse to provide fully authenticated, validated and encrypted connections between the endpoint and Eclipse. These combined solutions enable organizations to deploy fully encrypted, validated and authenticated subscriber connections using the IETF standards, Transport Layer Security (TLS) for signaling information and its counterpart the Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) for voice and video traffic.

"The traction that SIP is experiencing in both the enterprise and carrier market is generating hard and fast requirements for critical functionality, such as security to be addressed in early deployments," said Tom Valovic, program director for VoIP Infrastructure at IDC. "Proactive efforts on the part of vendors such as Covergence will help address this need as both SIP and IMS continue to gain further momentum in the next-generation marketplace."

Covergence Eclipse[TM] is purpose-built to provide coordinated, comprehensive security for VoIP, real-time video and other SIP applications. To provide this unparalleled protection, the Eclipse solution includes:

* Strong, standards-based cryptographic authentication 

* Standards-based signaling and media encryption

* Stateful and stateless signaling and media validation

* Multi-layer intrusion and attack prevention, including DOS and distributed-DOS protection

* Application-specific virus scanning and content filtering 

* Policy-based monitoring

"When combined with Eclipse's comprehensive application-level security capabilities, these end-to-end solutions enable organizations to quickly deploy VoIP and other real-time services that are more secure than the TDM phone system they are replacing - even over untrusted networks like the Internet," said Kenneth Kuenzel, co-founder, CTO and vice president, engineering for Covergence. "The Secure Connections Program will help organizations deliver unparalleled levels of security that will exceed the expectations of even the most risk-adverse customers."

The following is a current list of endpoints that have attained certification within the Secure Connections Program:

-- IP PBXs
    -- Aculab IP PBX
    -- Avaya Converged Communication Server (CCS / SES)
    -- Linksys SPA9000 IP PBX
    -- Samsung SCM IP PBX

-- SIP/PSTN Gateways
    -- Audiocodes MP-series SIP/PSTN Gateways

-- Softphones
    -- Counterpath Xten, Xlite, Xlite-Pro, Eyebeam
    -- New Heights Personal Communications Manager
    -- SNOM 360 Softpohone

-- Test Equipment
    -- IXIA Test Equipment

-- IP Phones
    -- Linksys SPA921 IP Phone
    -- Linksys SPA922 IP Phone
    -- Linksys SPA942 IP Phone
    -- Linksys SPA961 IP Phone
    -- Linksys SPA962 IP Phone
    -- Samsung IP Phones
    -- Snom 190 IP Phone
    -- Snom 320 IP Phone
    -- Snom 360 IP Phone

-- Analogue Phone Terminal Adapters
    -- Linksys SPA2102 Telephone Adapter
    -- Linksys SPA3102 Telephone Adapter
    -- Netgear Analog Telephone Adapters

-- IM, presence and real-time collaboration
    - Microsoft LCS Office Communicator

To learn more about our Secure Solutions Program, visit www.covergence.com/scp.

About Covergence

Covergence is the leader in scaling, securing and controlling VoIP and other real-time services at the access edge. The Covergence Eclipse[TM] series of access-edge session border controllers combines traditional session-border-control functionality with comprehensive security features and management tools. The Eclipse is purpose-built to securely and reliably connect users to VoIP and multi-media services while giving organizations the complete control and visibility they require. For more information, visit www.covergence.com.

Covergence and Covergence Eclipse are registered trademarks of Covergence. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.