:Cisco Adds Security Modules to Catalyst 6500
@author:Paula Bernier
@head:Cisco Systems Inc. now offers four new security modules for its popular Catalyst 6500 multilayer switches.
According to Tom Russell, director of marketing for Cisco’s VPN and Security Business Unit, the company integrated the functionality of layer 2-7 services with broad portfolio of security in a single box to help its enterprise and service provider customers reduce opex and capex costs. The new modules allow customers to scale as needed and the enhanced Catalyst 6500 now offers more functionality without creating additional network elements for customers to house and manage, he adds.
New modules include the Catalyst 6500 Firewall Services Module, IPSec VPN Service Module, Secure Sockets Layers (SSL) Services Module and the advanced Network Analysis Modules. The Catalyst 6500 Series can support different configurations within a single chassis to combine new services like firewall and SSL with existing capabilities like intrusion detection and content switching.
Each Catalyst 6500 Firewall Services Module delivers 4gbps throughput and 100,000 connections per second, with integrated stateful inspection up to Layer 7, extending security from the edge to internal networks, helping implement end-to-end security policies for the network. Up to four modules can be integrated into a single Catalyst 6500 Series chassis to scale up to 20gbps throughput and 400,000 connections per second.
The IPSec VPN Services Module provides 1.9gbps 3DES per module and 8,000 concurrent tunnels.
The SSL Services Module offers 2,500 connections per second and 300mbps SSL encryption, decryption security for secure processing of Web-based applications and E-commerce Web sites.
The Network Analysis Modules (NAM-1 and NAM-2) scales up to 1gbps, delivering integrated traffic monitoring for full visibility into applications, hosts, conversations, VoIP and QoS.
The Catalyst 6500 Firewall Services Module and the Catalyst 6500 SSL Services Module will be available in September 2002 for $34,995 and $29,995, respectively. The Catalyst 6500 IPSec VPN Services Module is available now for $35,000, and the Catalyst 6500 Network Analysis Modules NAM-1 and NAM-2 are available now for $17,995 and $29,995, respectively.
