Juniper offers new secure Net access gear

Juniper Networks Monday announced a new generation of equipment that provides secure Internet access for U.S. government agencies.

The Secure Access appliances are designed to maintain the integrity of the data links that will be used in the event of terrorist attack or some other emergency such as an outbreak of the dreaded avian flu.

"Government agencies must have the right technologies in place to ensure employees can fulfill their missions remotely in the most difficult circumstances," Roger Cressey, a former chief of staff of the president's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, observed in a Juniper news release. "Deploying a resilient SSL VPN (Secure Socket Layer Virtual Private Network) technology, such as Juniper Networks Secure Access, needs to be part of the foundation of this preparation effort."

The appliances -- designated SA 4000 and 6000 FIPS -- allow agencies to secure extranet or intranet access without a major upgrade of server protection or a construction of a major DMZ-style firewall.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International