Informix completes first C2 B1 NSA NCSC RDBMS security ramp; Only RDMBS vendor with proven capability to upgrade product while maintaining security rating.

CRYSTAL CITY, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 1995--Informix Federal, the government systems division of the leading supplier of high-performance, parallel processing Relational Database Management Systems -- RDBMS -- Tuesday announced at the ACCE Conference and Exposition that INFORMIX-OnLine/Secure 5.0 has successfully completed the first National Security Agency (NSA) -- National Computer Security Center (NCSC) -- Rating And Maintenance Program (RAMP) -- at the C2 and B1 level, as identified in the NSA "Orange Book" security level classification.

OnLine/Secure is a multi-level secure database for secure UNIX and Compartmented Mode Workstation (CMW) platforms.

A Leader in the RAMP program

The RAMP program is a process that allows software developers to continue to move their product sets forward, while maintaining their security approvals as defined by NSA.

The first RDBMS developer to have its products successfully evaluated at the C2 and B1 level by NSA in 1993, Informix continues to lead the field in RDBMS security by being the first and only to achieve successful evaluation of multiple releases of its product via the NCSC RAMP process, while maintaining the NSA seal of secure reliability at the C2 and B1 level.

Informix completed the 5.0 RAMP on the approved platforms from Harris Corp. OnLine/Secure is currently in evaluation at B2, a significantly higher level of assurance.

This announcement allows government organizations that require secure RDBMS capabilities to tap the advanced functionality increment furnished in the upgrade of INFORMIX OnLine/Secure from 4.1 to 5.0. It illustrates Informix's ability to successfully RAMP RDBMS -- a skill unique to Informix at this time. Informix plans to use this expertise to RAMP from 5.1 to the current version of its RDBMS version 7.1 during 1995, thus providing government organizations with the industry's leading RDBMS functionality and security within one product.

"Accurate, tight code; logical configuration and comprehensive documentation all contribute to expeditious security testing," said Stanley Asch, operations manager at the National Computer Security Center. "These factors are as important in initial evaluation as they are in RAMP. Informix should take pride in being the first RDBMS vendor to be evaluated at C2 and B1. Being the first to receive full evaluation in RAMP is also a significant achievement."

One Secure Product Offering; No Price Premium

Informix has re-designed its RDBMS specifically to address security considerations. Removing the division between its mainstream business product and the security product, Informix is moving the two products forward in unison. In future multithreaded, parallel processing releases, full security (and secure networking) configurability will be fully merged and included as installation options in all INFORMIX-OnLine Dynamic Server engines.

Further proof of the importance that Informix attaches to security and its intent to lead in this emerging RDBMS discipline can be found in current pricing structures. Today, contrary to conventional pricing structures, under which users pay a premium for secure capabilities, there is no price difference between the mainstream product INFORMIX-OnLine and the secure engine.

Providing Secure Service to the Citizen

"Government is embracing rightsized, distributed processing architectures in its efforts to deliver the greatest service to the citizen," said Jackie L. Lawrence, executive director at Informix Federal. "If the move to distributed processing compromises data security or integrity, not only will the cost savings be wiped out, but further, the citizen will be left exposed to significant material threats to property or well being. While the requirement for security is most dramatically illustrated in the defense arena, channel compromise within the Department of Health and Human Services, or Department of Energy can have explosive repercussions of their own.

"Informix is committed to delivering the security solutions required by all government agencies," continued Lawrence. "That means taking security down from the ivory tower. It means delivering security products that can deliver protection without hobbling performance. It means delivering security products at affordable prices. Informix is committed to this vision. This first successful RAMP shows that we have the capabilities to back our commitments. We plan to continue upgrading our products to deliver the superior performance and protection required across government."

And in Europe

In Europe, under UK ITSEC guidelines Informix has recently succeeded in achieving F(C2)/E3 and F(B1)/E3 ratings for OnLine/Secure version 5 when used in conjunction with an F-C2 (or greater) or F-B1 operating system.

Major features of the recent UK ITSEC certification include: certification of both standalone and distributed client/server database configurations when using Informix's I-STAR/Secure network product; and confirmation that the INFORMIX OnLine/Secure product architecture is engineered with platform independence as a major design objective, assuring rapid and highly transparent ports to multiple vendor platforms and trusted UNIX operating systems.

Informix also intends to continue its UK ITSEC certification program for other product releases including INFORMIX-OnLine Dynamic Server version 7 engines.

About Informix

Informix Software is the leading supplier of high-performance, parallel processing RDBMS technology for open systems. Informix RDBMS is featured on a host of government defense and civilian contracts, including: Defense STAMIS, RCAS, CAD-2, DASH, LCU, CHS, NALCOMIS, and recently the U.S. Navy TAC-4, as well as Internal Revenue Service SCRIPS and DPS, Bureau of Land Management ALMRS, National Weather Service AWIPS, and Department of Agriculture FCIC.

The company's database servers are the number-one choice of computer hardware manufacturers for publishing Transaction Processing Council (TPC-C) benchmarks for UNIX-based systems. Informix products also include application development tools for creating client/server production applications, decision-support systems, ad-hoc query interfaces, and connectivity software that allows information to be shared transparently from PCs to mainframes within enterprise computing environments.

Informix Federal is based out of Arlington, Va. Informix Inc. is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif.

CONTACT: Informix Federal

Sherryl Dorch, 703/524-3600

Stackig Public Relations

Stephen W.T. O'Keeffe, 703/734-3300