Unifying Security

Wi-Fi, March 22, 2004
By Wi-Fi Planet Staff

Wirelss LAN equipment maker Meru Networks has teamed up with security specialist iPolicy Networks to offer a WLAN platform to enterprises that focuses on providing security at the edge of wireless networks.
Under the technology and reseller agreement, announced Monday, Meru will integrate iPolicy's unified security technology into its Meru Controller platform beginning in the second half of the year. The iPolicy unified security technology includes a full complement of security applications, including deep inspection firewall, intrusion detection and prevention, virus prevention, content filtering and surveillance, in one box.

The new joint solution will provide "comprehensive security for enterprises," said Kamal Anand, vice president of sales and marketing at Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Meru. The WLAN industry has done a good job addressing basic security issues such as authentication and encryption, he said, and is now focusing on providing higher levels of security such as firewalls and intrusion detection, especially at the edge of the network. With iPolicy's technology, Meru can add four new layers of security (layers 4 through 7) to its WLAN management platform.

Since Meru touts its ability to deliver not only data but also real-time applications such as voice and video, it was crucial that the security applications didn't compromise performance. "The unified security approach was very attractive to us because we're able to deliver these real-time, latency-sensitive applications even with all security capabilities turned on," said Anand.