Novell Creates One-Stop Shop for Secure Access to Network Resources

• Novell announces availability of new security suite, Novell Secure Access
• Suite helps businesses integrate and simplify identity management, protect sensitive information and reduce administrative costs
• Novell Secure Access provides a central point of management for all user identity information
• Solution gives Web, wireless, dial-up, VPN and client-based users secure, single sign-on access to the applications, databases and platforms they need

Novell, Inc., a leading provider of Net business solutions, today announced the availability of Novell® Secure Access, a new security suite that helps businesses integrate and simplify identity management, protect sensitive information and reduce administrative costs. Novell Secure Access is a comprehensive suite of Novell security and access management products, which together define, enforce and audit what users can access across internal and external networks. The suite simplifies network administration by providing a central point of management for all user identity information and access control, and it gives Web, wireless, dial-up, VPN and client-based users secure, single sign-on access to the applications, databases and platforms they need. By creating this one Net security infrastructure, Novell Secure Access enables businesses to reduce the cost of maintaining their networks, so they can invest those resources in more strategic projects that support their business goals.

Today, companies across all industries face the monumental challenge of building a unified IT infrastructure that provides convenient and secure access to information and applications scattered across many different internal and external systems. They must provide access to a rapidly growing number of users both inside and outside the firewall without jeopardizing security or compromising the privacy of sensitive information. Complicating this further, users are required to manage multiple versions of their identity across multiple applications, handling and often mishandling dozens of user IDs and passwords. Built on a common directory infrastructure, Novell Secure Access addresses this challenge by allowing administrators to centrally manage all user identities and network access rights and by giving users secure, single sign-on access to all their applications, databases and platforms.

"The relationship between directory services and enterprise security is becoming intertwined. A directory service possesses certain features that make it ideal for housing authentication information, authorization information and security credentials such as digital certificates," said Giga Analyst Jonathan Penn. "The directory service streamlines the management and broadens the accessibility of identity and access control information, allowing for more complex relationships between systems, business units and organizations. In the past, directory integration has been a nonessential feature, offering only occasional competitive advantage for those security solutions that had developed it. Moving forward, lack of directory integration will become a competitive liability for those enterprise security solutions that do not have it." ("Directory Service and Security Strengthen Their Ties," Giga Information Group, January 2002)

The delivery of Novell Secure Access comes as customers are increasingly looking to consolidate the number of security vendors they deal with and create a comprehensive access and security solution. Traditional security solutions draw upon a variety of products, which often have their own identity stores and security policies. Maintaining these multiple identity stores and security policies introduces significant security vulnerabilities, increases administration and support costs, and reduces the quality of the end-user experience. Additionally, such solutions don't provide a simple, efficient mechanism for enforcing a consistent access control and security policy for an ever-changing universe of employees, customers and partners. Novell Secure Access eliminates these barriers by delivering a solution that unifies diverse functions such as Web access, single sign-on, firewalls, biometric authentication and many others.

What's in Novell Secure Access

The Novell Secure Access product suite is targeted at the security authentication, authorization and administration (3A security) market. The components of Novell Secure Access include the following proven Novell products:

• Novell eDirectory As the foundation for identity management, policy management and access control, the directory is also the foundation of any comprehensive security solution. eDirector allows businesses to capture, store, organize and leverage all of the identity information needed to assign individual access rights to employees, customers and partners.
• NDS Authentication Services (NDS-AS) NDS® Authentication Services provides secure access for platforms. NDS-AS handles user account creation, deletion and modification, as well as password synchronization and redirection among enterprise platforms, such as NetWare®, Windows* 2000, Solaris*, Linux*, OS/390*, MVS and others. This integration eliminates the need to manage a different set of authorized users for each platform, allowing all user sets to be managed as one.
• Novell iChain Novell iChain® provides secure access for the Web. iChain allows organizations to secure their Web environments, control user access to those environments and provide users single sign-on to virtually all Web-based applications and content.
• Novell Modular Authentication Service (NMAS) Novell Modular Authentication Service provides secure access for authentication. NMAS allows companies to manage multiple authentication methods, including passwords, smart cards, token authentication, biometric authentication and digital certificates, either individually or in combination. Support for these advanced authentication methods strengthens security for network data that is too sensitive to guard with a password alone.
• Novell SecureLogin Novell SecureLogin provides secure access for applications. The product gives users access to virtually all enterprise applications with a single login. With SecureLogin, users don't have to remember dozens of passwords and user IDs. Once they have logged into any computer on the network, SecureLogin automatically authenticates them to all the applications and data they need.
• Novell BorderManager Novell BorderManager® provides secure access for the enterprise. It strengthens enterprise security while improving user productivity and network performance. In addition to its firewall and VPN features, BorderManager includes forward-proxy technology to control, accelerate and monitor users' access to Internet resources.

"Novell Secure Access gives companies the assurance that all their users employees, customers and partners have convenient and immediate access to the information and applications they need, without the hassle of managing dozens of user IDs and passwords," said Paul Smart, vice president and general manager of Novell's Net Directory business. "Equally important, the solution enhances network security by creating a common security infrastructure an infrastructure that is not based on individual hardware or applications, but rather on users' identities, their roles and responsibilities within a company."

Availability and Pricing

Novell Secure Access is available today from Novell channel partners and Novell Consultant and System Integrator partners, such as Cap Gemini Ernst& Young, Computer Sciences Corporation, Deloitte& Touche and PricewaterhouseCoopers. It is also available directly from Novell by calling (888) 321-4272. Novell Secure Access is being offered at a promotional price of $159 per user MSRP through June 2002.

Advanced Technical Training is being offered for Novell Secure Access, as well as its underlying products. For more information on technical training, go to www.novell.com/registernow.

Novell is also hosting three Access and Security Web Seminars Jan. 29, 30 and 31. The seminars will demonstrate how Novell products and solutions can help customers simplify the management of user identities and access rights, lower costs and securely extend their networks. For more information or to register for a seminar, go to www.novellsecurity.com or call 800-274-6404.

 

About Novell
Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL), is a leader in eBusiness solutions and Net services software designed to secure and power the networked world. Novell and its eServices division, Cambridge Technology Partners, help organizations solve complex business challenges, simplify their systems and processes, and capture new opportunities with one Net solutions. Novell provides worldwide channel, consulting, education and developer programs to support its offerings.

For information on Novell's complete range of products and services, contact Novell's Customer Response Center at (888) 321-4CRC (4272), or visit Novell's Web site at http://www.novell.com. Information on eBusiness and integration solutions from Cambridge Technology Partners can be accessed at http://www.ctp.com. Press may access Novell announcements and company information on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com/pressroom.

 

Novell, NetWare, BorderManager, iChain and NDS are registered trademarks, and Advanced Technical Training, eDirectory, NMAS and Secure Access are trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. *All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.