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Enterasys Networks Inc. next week will extend its unique line of integrated router/network security devices with several new models aimed at large branch offices and regional offices for larger enterprises.
The four new models Enterasys is adding to its XSR Security Router line extend the integrated IP routing with firewall and Virtual Private Network devices beyond the small branch office that existing XSR Security Routers target.
The Andover, Mass., company believes that by integrating IP routing with policy-controlled firewall technology and VPN hardware acceleration integrated in application specific integrated circuit chips on the router motherboard, it can provide higher performance at a lower cost with simplified administration for remote site networking.
“Any vulnerability of a remote network node threatens resources at that location and makes the entire enterprise vulnerable. When companies have to deploy standalone firewalls and VPN tunnel servers at remote locations, they are left with multiple devices each with its own management interface. How to control those from a corporate data center becomes an issue,” described Ben McLeod, director of product marketing at Enterasys in Andover, Mass.
Enterasys officials claim that the new XSR-3000 series provides twice the performance at a lower cost than competitive offerings from market leader Cisco Systems Inc. Cisco and others offer optional, separately priced security modules for their routers to combine routing and security in a single router box.
Enterasys also added a pair of new WAN interface options for the XSR Security Router family that support T3/E3 connections as well as an ADSL interface intended for the European market.
The XSR-3000 series targets remote sites with between 40 to 200 users. Earlier models target smaller sites with up to 40 users. The new models include the XSR-3020, which forwards 200,000 packets per second and supports 1,000 VPN tunnels, and the XSR-3150, which forwards 400,000 packets per second and supports 3,000 VPN tunnels. Both of those models support three 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN ports and eight WAN ports using a variety of interfaces. The new XSR-3250 forwards 400,000 packets per second and supports 3000 tunnels, but it raises the maximum number of WAN ports to 24. The new XSR-4100, a central site aggregation router, forwards 500,000 packets and supports 5,000 VPN tunnels over a maximum of 56 WAN ports. It and the XSR-3020 are due in September. The XSR-3150 and XSR-3250 are due in July. The units range from $5995 for the XSR-3020 is $5995 to $15,995 for the XSR-4100.