Close
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile

    Vernier Software Boosts WLANs

    By
    Andrew Garcia
    -
    February 9, 2004
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      The latest software refresh of Vernier Networks Inc.s Vernier Networks System offers drastically improved availability features and an overhauled rights management interface. Administrators who need strong authentication and Layer 3 security services for WLAN and public networks will benefit from the Vernier Networks System, but they should be aware the product does not offer wireless LAN management features.

      Click here to read full review.

      2

      The latest software refresh of Vernier Networks Inc.s Vernier Networks System offers drastically improved availability features and an overhauled rights management interface. Administrators who need strong authentication and Layer 3 security services for WLAN and public networks will benefit from the Vernier Networks System, but they should be aware the product does not offer wireless LAN management features.

      eWEEK Labs tested the Vernier Networks System with the new Version 4.0 software. Our testbed included the $6,650 Control Server 6500 and one $3,790 Access Manager 6500 with a $600 four-port Fast Ethernet connection.

      The CS 6500 sits inside the protected network, providing centralized policy configuration and authentication services. It also distributes policies to the AM 6500 and manages mobile connections between locations. The AM 6500 provides a gateway between the public and protected networks, enforcing the access policies and providing encryption termination points.

      The Vernier Networks System provides powerful access, authentication and Layer 3 encryption features. However, it doesnt offer access-point management, rogue detection or RF (radio-frequency) management capabilities, nor does it enable any Layer 2 security among wireless clients.

      Administrators desiring RF and access-point control must implement separate wireless management solutions or look at competing wireless security gateways with access-point management from vendors such as ReefEdge Inc. and Perfigo Inc.

      Version 4.0 separates the data and control planes, so the AM 6500s continue to enforce access permissions if the CS 6500 fails. In tests, authenticated users could continue to use the network when we disabled the CS, but new users couldnt authenticate until the CS 6500 came back online.

      The system now also supports CS 6500s in a redundant active/passive configuration, seamlessly handing off mobility and authentication duties in case of failure.

      Ongoing management of individual AM 6500s is no longer necessary. After using the command-line interface to configure the AM 6500s initial IP address and encryption data to secure communications with the CS 6500, all subsequent management is performed via the CS 6500s Web interface.

      Vernier has overhauled the rights management configuration pages, introducing a new interface based on profiles. The new interface cleans up several rights-assignment oddities but could escalate the number of managed profile objects in a large, distributed enterprise.

      Access policies are assigned according to profiles based on identity and connection, and the Rights Manager page shows all rights defined across the enterprise. However, configuring a tiered authentication policy was difficult—filtered views that identify rights affecting specific places or groups would ease administrative tasks.

      Wed like to see Vernier support administrators with different permissions. Vernier officials said this feature should be added within a few months.

      Technical Analyst Andrew Garcia can be reached at [email protected].

      Avatar
      Andrew Garcia
      Andrew cut his teeth as a systems administrator at the University of California, learning the ins and outs of server migration, Windows desktop management, Unix and Novell administration. After a tour of duty as a team leader for PC Magazine's Labs, Andrew turned to system integration - providing network, server, and desktop consulting services for small businesses throughout the Bay Area. With eWEEK Labs since 2003, Andrew concentrates on wireless networking technologies while moonlighting with Microsoft Windows, mobile devices and management, and unified communications. He produces product reviews, technology analysis and opinion pieces for eWEEK.com, eWEEK magazine, and the Labs' Release Notes blog. Follow Andrew on Twitter at andrewrgarcia, or reach him by email at [email protected]

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      eWeek


      Contact Us | About | Sitemap

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      Terms of Service | Privacy Notice | Advertise | California - Do Not Sell My Information

      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×