Aruba Adds SODA to Wireless LAN Line

Aruba Wireless Networks and Sygate Technologies Inc. this week will announce a co-developed security system for wireless LANs.

Through a partnership with the security software company, Aruba is licensing and integrating SODA (Sygate On-Demand Agent) into Arubas line of centralized WLAN products.

Arubas new Client Integrity Module, which sits in Aruba switches, integrates SODA with Arubas firewall, said officials at Aruba in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Aruba upgrades its Wi-Fi switches with improved security and voice functions. Click here to read more.

With the new module, IT managers can detect and quarantine problematic devices attempting to gain access to the network without having to install software on those devices. "We wanted to get into this whole area of unmanaged devices and figure out how to make sure they dont become a vulnerability," said Merv Andrade, chief technology officer of Aruba.

This is a growing concern among organizations that want to offer guest access to their networks.

"You dont want someone connecting to your network who doesnt have virus protection, and this gives us control over that," said Brandon Bryant, network administrator at Legal Services for New York City, in New York. "We have people coming in from all over the city for legal training, and we let them sign into the portal, but we have no idea whats on their laptops."

The module checks for policies such as the presence of anti-virus software and personal firewalls, patches and other updates.

The module is available immediately. Pricing starts at $500.

Meanwhile, Paris-based Alcatel S.A. late last month unveiled the OmniAccess WLAN switch family, which comprises rebranded hardware from Aruba as well as additional software from Alcatel that provides quarantine management and other security features.

Check out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, reviews and analysis on mobile and wireless computing.