Extreme Networks and Vernier team up to provide internal security solution for enterprises.

Vernier Networks has announced that it has joined Extreme Networks, Inc.'s (Nasdaq:EXTR) Go Purple partnership program at the strategic partner level. The agreement allows the companies to jointly market the Vernier EdgeWall family of network access management appliances that deliver superior protection against out of date, misconfigured, or infected clients.

Vernier's EdgeWall security appliance complements Extreme Networks' award-winning BlackDiamond, Alpine and Summit switch families by addressing security threats, often brought behind the perimeter by employees, guests and contractors that are connecting directly to the LAN. Ideal in environments where laptops and mobile workers are prevalent, Vernier's EdgeWall addresses internal security concerns for enterprises, ensuring that potentially infected devices cannot gain access to networks.

Vernier's EdgeWall security appliance is the industry's only clientless network access management product that defends against intrusions and attacks on the network by screening users and devices, restricting access and enforcing access policy. Unlike desktop-based endpoint solutions that rely on end-user integrity, EdgeWall is entirely network-based with no desktop footprint, keeping security and access control in the hands of the IT department and making it ideal for both managed and unmanaged devices.

Based on access policy, EdgeWall has the capability to quarantine traffic and to enforce remediation. Vernier's EdgeWall also works with patch management products to assure that software revision levels and patches are up-to-date before a device is admitted to the network.

According to a March 2005 survey, Enterprise Strategy Group found that 23 percent of companies surveyed reported an internal security breach by a credentialed person (i.e. employee or contractor with network access). Of those respondents who had internal breaches, 40 percent said that the breach led to the interruption of a critical business system, 38 percent said that the breach resulted in data corruption/loss, and 17 percent claimed that the breach led to intellectual property theft.

"As companies find themselves with an increasing mobile workforce, threats are now originating within the network--not from outside the perimeter," said Varun Nagaraj, vice president of product management for Extreme Networks. "By partnering with Vernier, we are able to provide our customers an enhanced secure networking solution that guards against these internal threats."

Existing network access control initiatives require several disparate products from multiple vendors in addition to costly and hard to manage desktop client software. Furthermore, desktop or host-based security solutions are subject to attack and can be compromised. In contrast, the Extreme/Vernier solution offers a compelling cost savings and greater functionality, as it is completely network-based--no client software required--and therefore easy to deploy and maintain.

The combined Vernier and Extreme Networks solution can not only scan end-user devices for vulnerabilities and policy enforcement, it also keeps security embedded within the network, and out of the hands of potentially malicious users.

"Partnering with Extreme Networks is a powerful endorsement of Vernier's approach to network access management and paves the way for tight collaboration between our respective sales organizations. In addition, our respective channel partners will be able to offer a more complete network security product portfolio," said Simon Khalaf, chief executive officer at Vernier Networks. "Extreme Networks customers who are concerned about internal breaches and the resulting business losses can now deploy the joint Extreme/Vernier solution to shore up their network defenses and eliminate both unintentional and deliberate attacks from compromised devices."

Vernier's EdgeWall product family has been thoroughly tested with Extreme Networks switches and access points, with various authentication mechanisms including 802.1x, multiple enforcement and compliance scenarios as well as for scalability and robustness against attacks.

Extreme Networks is a leader in open converged networks. Its innovative network architecture provides Enterprises and Metro Service Providers with the resiliency, adaptability and simplicity required for a true converged network that supports voice, video and data, over a wired and wireless infrastructure, while delivering high-performance and advanced security features.