Press Releases
Juniper Networks Launches New Unified Access Control Solution with Expanded Interoperability and Functionality
UAC 2.0 Offers Integrated Control for Network, Resource and Application Access Within Any 802.1X-Enabled Infrastructure
SUNNYVALE, Calif., November 13, 2006 - Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR) today launched the new Unified Access Control (UAC) 2.0 solution, helping enterprises more effectively manage user access to critical business assets from a wide range of network endpoints. With UAC 2.0, Juniper Networks has completed integration of its market-leading 802.1X components with existing UAC functionality, including elements of the Odyssey® Access Client (OAC) and Steel-Belted Radius® (SBR). UAC 2.0 is an open standards-based Layer 2 and Layer 3 access control solution that can be rolled out in a flexible array of deployment scenarios to give enterprises real-time visibility and granular policy control throughout the network. The UAC 2.0 solution supports current and future interoperability within multi-vendor environments via support for both the IEEE 802.1X standard and Trusted Computing Group's Trusted Network Connect (TNC), a set of non-proprietary specifications that enables open standards-based access control.
"Juniper has delivered on the promise it made less than a year ago when we acquired Funk Software, combining Funk's market-leading 802.1X components and RADIUS technologies with our existing UAC solution," said Hitesh Sheth, vice president of security products at Juniper Networks. "With UAC 2.0, we have set the bar in the network access control market for deployment flexibility and interoperability, enabling customers to use Juniper's firewalls and/or any 802.1X-enabled switch or wireless access point as enforcement points to secure access to applications and resources across distributed networks."
"Enterprise networks are increasingly complex and distributed, with a multitude of users including employees, partners and contractors requiring access to critical business information from network endpoints that may be poorly managed, unmanaged, or in many cases, completely unmanageable. The threat from dangerous and vulnerable endpoints has made network access control a critical security process for enterprises," said Lawrence Orans, research director at Gartner. "As the access control market evolves and access control deployments increase in scale and scope, enterprises will require solutions that enable them to leverage existing investments in network and security infrastructure, and are capable of interoperating seamlessly within heterogeneous IT environments."
UAC Balances Access and Security Controls for Customers
Juniper Networks' UAC solution helps customers solve the problem of balancing access and security controls by binding user identity, endpoint integrity and location information with access controls for dynamic policy management that is enforced in real-time throughout the network. Some of Juniper Networks' UAC customers include China Mobile, one of China's leading mobile services providers; Fredrikstad Kommun, a municipal authority in Norway; and KAMO Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KAMO Power), an Oklahoma-based Generation and Transmission cooperative.
"Juniper understands access control. With the new UAC 2.0 solution, they've given our organization complete flexibility with regard to our IT and network infrastructure, and a method to provide very granular control using open standards," said Robert Lemm, IS supervisor at KAMO Power. "The Juniper UAC solution allows us to not only ensure policy compliance of devices and users prior to login and issuance of an IP address, but also to dynamically control access to resources and applications during the entire duration of the user session for meaningful access control. This approach has the potential to meet a wide range of challenges related to controlling our network."
Integration of Funk's 802.1X and RADIUS Technologies into UAC 2.0
Juniper Networks' UAC solution is comprised of several elements, including the Infranet Controller, which serves as a centralized policy manager; the UAC Agent, which is dynamically downloadable endpoint software; and a flexible array of policy enforcement points which include Juniper Networks firewalls and any 802.1X-enabled switch or wireless access points. In UAC 2.0, both the Infranet Controller and the UAC Agent contain integrated features from Juniper's acquisition of Funk Software, including the OAC 802.1X supplicant and SBR. Both OAC and SBR are also available as standalone products.
Flexible Access Control and Security to Support All Enterprise Environments
Juniper Networks is introducing a solution that offers dynamic access control from the start of the session, before the issuance of an IP address, all the way through to very granular resource-level controls. The UAC solution's flexible enforcement options allow customers to instantly support access control across wired and wireless campus, data center and branch office locations. Customers can choose to use firewalls, integrated content security and intrusion detection capabilities as an overlay on existing networks to protect mission critical LAN assets, and over scale the solution to support 802.1X enforcement at Layer 2. Alternatively, customers can immediately roll out the UAC solution to leverage their existing 802.1X infrastructure, and use the overlay deployment scenario to provide more granular access over time. Customers can seamlessly add to their deployment without having to redeploy new UAC Agents or a new Infranet Controller.
Intelligent and Adaptive Security Policy Assessment, Enforcement and Remediation
Juniper Networks' UAC solution delivers a unified agent that can support user identity and endpoint verification at both Layer 2 and Layer 3 across an 802.1X infrastructure. A comprehensive set of endpoint assessment checks, both native functionality as well as pre-defined checks for antivirus, spyware, firewall, patch management, configuration management, OS and malware checks, can be leveraged as part of the access control policies. The agent is capable of initiating remediation actions to bring the endpoint into compliance prior to granting access. Access control can also be provided in agentless mode if required.
Availability
The new UAC 2.0 solution with the Infranet Controller appliances and UAC agent will be available worldwide beginning in December 2006. List pricing for the hardware and software solution starts at $15,000 for 100 concurrent users, and the software upgrade is free of charge to existing UAC 1.x customers with active maintenance contracts. Customers using the standalone OAC solution who wish to transition to UAC 2.0 may qualify for a flat fee upgrade. For more information on where to purchase, please visit http://www.juniper.net/products/ua/.
About Juniper Networks, Inc.
Juniper Networks develops purpose-built, high performance IP platforms that enable customers to support a wide variety of services and applications at scale. Service providers, enterprises, governments and research and education institutions rely on Juniper to deliver a portfolio of proven networking, security and application acceleration solutions that solve highly complex, fast-changing problems in the world's most demanding networks. Additional information can be found at www.juniper.net.
Juniper Networks and the Juniper Networks logo are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.
