21 February 2005
Introducing secure routing and mobile access to meet WAN, LAN and Wireless LAN needs, giving businesses more from their network


DUBAI, UAE - ProCurve Networking by HP unveiled the industry's most secure and cost-effective branch office router and integrated mobile security solution, extending the security framework edge to edge of the ProCurve Adaptive EDGE Architecture, giving companies a cost-effective, easy-to-manage strategy for achieving command from the centre with control to the edge.  

Security is a key component of the Adaptive EDGE Architecture and ProCurve Networking continues to build on its cohesive strategy to provide a secure, mobile, multi-service network.  ProCurve is enhancing its portfolio of network hardware and software products  by, improving LAN and WLAN security perimeters and providing advanced technology at affordable prices,  Today, ProCurve is announcing the following products:

  • The ProCurve Secure Router 7000 series which delivers secure connections for branch offices to a headquarter site at the WAN edge and provides edge-to-edge connections.  The versatile platform adds security to restrict unauthorised access and offers wire-speed performance at an affordable price point with integrated convergence features.  With the 7000 series, small to mid-sized businesses can also provide a secure and reliable connection to the Internet and remote VPN access to their employees.

  • The ProCurve Switch xl Access Controller module for the ProCurve Switch 5300xl which enables the network edge to provide secure, mobile and appropriate access to multiple services over a single network.  This removes the need to have authentication software on a user's appliance, moving the functionality to the edge of the network and providing hassle-free access at a high level of security.

"Unlike other companies' routers, the HP ProCurve Secure Access Router 7000dl Series can provide customers integrated security with performance matching dedicated appliances and simplified installation and configuration," said Suresh V. Nair, Manager Enterprise Accounts Information Technology Division, Industrial Management Technology & Contracting (IMTAC) LLC. "The total cost of ownership generated by ProCurve's lifetime hardware warranty and free software updates enables me to be a better partner to my customers and pass savings along to them," he added.

In conjunction with HP Labs, ProCurve recently announced it has enhanced its 5300 switches and ProCurve Manager with Virus Throttle technology, providing more detection, prevention and response to virus threats.  The ProCurve solution detects the virus-like activity as traffic enters and passes through the network switch.  Then, the infected system is throttled back to allow the network manager to react and take action before the virus spreads.

"We continue to build breakthrough solutions with advanced features at affordable prices and with this introduction ProCurve is meeting the current and future business needs for the WAN, LAN and wireless LAN.  Companies can now turn to ProCurve for a complete end-to-end networking infrastructure that can easily grow and evolve with their business needs," said Yasser Helmy, business development manager ProCurve Networking by HP, HP Middle East.  "In addition, ProCurve once again has demonstrated its expertise in delivering innovation to today's networks with Virus Throttle for ProCurve Networking switches.  ProCurve takes a more strategic approach than other networking providers by delivering a built-in, not bolted on solution that provides greater security."

ProCurve Secure Router 7000 Series
The ProCurve Secure Router 7000 Series provides advanced high performance routing with integrated security and convergence function at industry leading prices.  This expands the delivery of the ProCurve Adaptive EDGE Architecture to the WAN edge, providing a secure edge-to-edge connection.  The router securely connects a branch office to a headquarter site while preventing unauthorised access, providing wire speed routing capabilities with security, QoS and other services enabled.  Alternately, it can be used as a headquarters-based core router for a company with smaller bandwidth requirements or used in small to mid-sized business environments to provide a secure and reliable connection to the Internet and possibly remote VPN access. 

The Secure Router 7000 Series provides modular, high performance capabilities that are designed to adapt to the needs of the enterprise by supporting new services without incurring software uplift costs.  Unlike traditional routers, the 7000 series is an affordable platform that grows with changing business needs.  It includes a stateful firewall to prevent denial of service attacks, offers ACL and VLAN support to restrict traffic flow, and includes an 802.1X supplicant.  To support an increasingly mobile workforce, the 7000 series provides optional IPSec VPN termination to allow remote users to connect to their corporate office over the Internet. 

The first two products to be introduced as part of ProCurve's WAN portfolio include the 7102dl and 7203dl routers.  The 7102dl router includes 2 slots to support modular WAN interface cards and is designed to support up to 4 T1/E1 connections.  The 7203dl router includes 2 slots and 1 wide slot support modular WAN interface cards and is designed to support 8 T1/E1 connections. 

Using an industry standard CLI, the Secure Router 7000 Series is designed to minimise the amount of training or certification required to support configuration.  For novice users, the routers include a compact flash port to allow easy installation by booting configuration and image files without having to be command line savvy.  In addition, the series supports open standards to allow choice and flexibility when designing networks, with standard protocols supported including RIP, RIPv2, OSPF, BGP4 and IGMPv2 to support interoperability with legacy and multi-vendor products.  Both routers are backed by a lifetime 8X5 next business day warranty and ProCurve's industry-leading free software updates.

ProCurve Switch xl Access Controller Module
For medium to large enterprise customers concerned about the added security risks of deploying a wireless LAN, the ProCurve Switch xl Access Control Module enables secure, mobile user access to appropriate network services on any ProCurve 5300xl switch at the edge of the network where user connect.  With the addition of the ProCurve Switch xl Access Controller Module, the ProCurve switch 5300xl series delivers a unique approach to integrating identity-based user access control, wireless data privacy and secure roaming with the flexibility of a full-featured intelligent edge switch. Centrally managed from the ProCurve Secure Access Server 740wl, the Access Controller Module frees users from having authentication software on their appliance, moving the functionality to the edge of the network and providing hassle-free assess while maintaining a high level of security.

Unlike other networking providers, the ProCurve Access Control Module utilises existing standards based networking infrastructure without locking the customer into proprietary features for future networking requirements.  Key features include a personalised view of the network based on business need, seamless Layer 3 roaming, and wireless data privacy.  In addition, the Access Controller Module provides Web based authentication, bandwidth control, and misconfigured service management and proxy redirection.

-Ends-

About ProCurve Networking by HP
The ProCurve Networking business unit of HP is a supplier of enterprise networking solutions comprising wired and wireless enterprise networking products, services and solutions - including WAN routers, Ethernet switches, routing switches, wireless access points and network-management applications - which allow customers to build networks based on open standards that meet current and future needs for security, performance and reliability.   Recognising the necessary migration of intelligence and functionality to the network edge, the ProCurve Adaptive EDGE Architecture gives companies a cost-effective, easy-to-manage strategy for achieving command from the center with control to the edge.  ProCurve was positioned in the challenger quadrant in research and advisory firm Gartner, Inc.'s 2004 Magic Quadrant Report for Global Campus LANs.

Further information on ProCurve networking solutions and products is available at www.procurve.com.

About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended Oct. 31, 2004, HP revenue totalled
$79.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

About HP Middle East
HP is the largest technology and solutions provider in the Middle East with 670 employees and subsidiaries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Cairo and Ramallah servicing the GCC, Egypt and the Levant.

HP has been present in the Middle East since 1968, and opened its first regional office in 1994.HP Middle East is the market leader for Enterprise, Small and Medium Business and Consumer technology products, and offers a large portfolio of solutions and services in various business domains.

For more information
Riwa Dabbagh
Marketing Manager
ProCurve Networking Business
Middle East/ Africa & Mediterranean
Hewlett-Packard
riwa.dabbagh@hp.com

Rola Zaarour
Hill&Knowlton for HP ProCurve Networking
rola.zaarour@hillandknowlton.com

www.hp.com/me.

© Press Release 2005