Enterasys buys into VPN space

Enterasys Networks is in the process of acquiring Indus River Networks. The deal is expected to be completed in December and will give the company an opportunity to add virtual private network solutions to its offerings.

Enterasys Networks is in the process of acquiring Indus River Networks. The deal is expected to be completed in December and will give the company an opportunity to add virtual private network (VPN) solutions to its offerings.

Chris Gabriel, European marketing manager at Enterasys, said: "After our recent split from Cabletron, the remit was to supply enterprise solutions and we found that VPN was missing from our portfolio. Cabletron had dabbled in VPN but had not done a good job and had given up the ghost."

The acquisition gives Enterasys quick entry into the VPN market with a technology closely aligned to its own. "We had wanted a VPN player with similar technology and thinking as Enterasys," said Gabriel. "Indus River fitted the bill."

"We have developed a product that allows resellers to offer easier implementation and security," he added. "Ninety-nine per cent of our products go through the channel in the UK and our security and VPN products fit in with that of our partners."

Chris McNab, network security analyst at MIS Corporate Defence Solutions, said: "VPNs are notoriously difficult to manage because they are trusted networks running between places such as banks. Security would be blown out of the water if any Tom, Dick or Harry had access."

"VPNs represent high security and all they should do is encrypt traffic between two points. New features added to them often bring new security risks. The simpler VPNs are to use, the easier they are to hack into," he added.