News

Fully Integrated Management and PKI Solution Advances Ease-of- Deployment for VPN Service Providers

SSH Communications Security (HEX: SSH1V), a world-leading developer of Internet security technologies, today announced that its Network Systems Business Unit has introduced a revolutionary new VPN solution. The solution, SSH Complete VPNTM, enables service providers and network operators to access the fast growing VPN (Virtual Private Network) service markets more rapidly and cost-effectively. This advanced IP-based solution incorporates a hardware-based VPN gateway device, innovative deployment mechanisms, and an advanced central management system to secure site-to-site and remote connections over the Internet. SSH Complete VPN is the industry's first comprehensive system solution to provide true end-to-end IPSec security with SSH NAT TraversalTM feature. It incorporates SSH's world-leading IPSec, IKE, and PKI security technologies and products. The SSH Complete VPN is designed to be extremely easy to install and deploy, interoperable and scalable.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a well-known network security solution that harnesses the potential of a public untrusted internetworking infrastructure, such as the Internet, for securely transporting corporate data between office locations and traveling employees. The technology is appealing to many organizations and service providers with its superior price-performance, global applicability and strong security.

The complexity of deployment, installation, administration, and maintenance of large scale VPNs has proven to be very challenging. "We have fully recognized the technical difficulties related to installing VPNs in a larger scale, and set a clear target to make the implementation so easy that virtually any technician can do it," said Tatu Ylönen, founder, chairman and CTO of SSH. "Further, the NAT Traversal technology of SSH makes SSH Complete VPN the first VPN solution in the world that can be used transparently through networks that apply Network Address Translation (NAT), including for example most hotel networks, firewalled corporate networks, ADSL and cable modem networks, and even mobile GPRS networks."

Kolumbus Oy, part of Elisa Group, is piloting SSH's new VPN system at the moment. "Kolumbus will provide world-class, high-secure VPN service to its customers. SSH Complete VPN concept is at the moment the most suitable system for service provider needs. The NAT Traversal feature of SSH solution is a very important factor for our customers," says Business Manager Teppo Kokkonen, Kolumbus Oy.

SSH Complete VPN is targeted at Internet/network service providers serving SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and large multi-site enterprises. By offering an all-inclusive solution, SSH solves the difficulties service providers have experienced in obtaining different hardware and software components from multiple manufacturers. By integrating the necessary components into a single package, SSH has made it possible for service providers to offer their own customers new VPN capabilities easily, quickly and cost-effectively.

The SSH Complete VPN solution seamlessly integrates three major components based on SSH's proven world-leading IPSec, IKE, and PKI technologies:

SSH VPN GatewayTM. The foundation of the SSH Complete VPN Solution is SSH's new VPN Gateway network device, which handles site-to-site connections. The new system revolutionizes VPN installation by utilizing smart cards to store critical configuration and security information needed for cost- efficient large-scale deployment. It includes SSH's field-proven carrier-class IPSec, IKE and NAT Traversal technologies.

SSH VPN Central ManagerTM. The central management can manage up to hundreds of individual VPN networks with tens of thousands of SSH VPN Gateways and mobile users. It incorporates SSH CertifierTM PKI software for smooth deployment and smart card based authentication. With a built-in Certificate Authority, service provides may easily deploy and scale their services to address their customers' needs for growth.

SSH SentinelTM VPN Client. SSH's function-rich VPN client software is ideal for remote and mobile users who need to access the system securely. The client fully supports standard IPSec encryption and IKE (Internet Key Exchange) key management, and incorporates SSH NAT Traversal technology. With NAT Traversal embedded in the software, IPSec-based connections are supported throughout the network where NAT devices are present, assuring end- to-end security for all users. SSH Complete VPN is an innovative, integrated solution that raises the standard for superior cost-effectiveness of VPN services.

Product Pricing and Availability

SSH Complete VPN is currently being piloted at select customers and partners in Europe. General availability is planned for summer of 2001. For information on pricing and availability, contact SSH in Helsinki, Finland at +358 9 8565 7481. General availability in the USA is planned for fall of 2001. For further information, please contact SSH in Palo, California, USA at +1 650 251 2705.

About Kolumbus

In addition to the provision of internet connections and portal services, Kolumbus Oy also implements a wide array of services over the internet. Kolumbus' areas of strong expertise are electronic identification, data security, application service provision, and e-business and transactions. Kolumbus masters both data secure teleworking connections and the underlying systems, such as PKI technologies (Public Key Infrastructure) and directory platforms. Kolumbus Oy (Ltd) is part of Elisa Communications Group.

© 2002 SSH Communications Security Corp. All rights reserved. ssh® is a registered trademark of SSH Communications Security Corp in the United States and in certain other jurisdictions. All other names and marks are property of their respective owners.