Nortel and Microsoft tighten security standards
Nortel and Microsoft tighten security standards
The complications and difficulties involved with accessing corporate networks could be greatly reduced now for IT administrators following the teaming up of Nortel and Microsoft to create security standards that protect data and ensure authentication.
Nortel has thrown its backing behind Microsoft's Network Access Protection, which aims to ensure that security solutions stop viruses, worms, predatory software and other threats regardless of where they are before those threats spread.
Whilst offering better protection for corporate networks and desktop and laptop computers, it also makes it easier for people who have the right to access data to get their hands on the information they need.
The system allows IT professionals to set policy (for example, operating system and antivirus update policy), which restricts clients from accessing a network until the clients can prove policy compliance.
Steve Anderson, a director in the Windows Server group said: "By ensuring Network Access Protection solutions are open, standards compliant and interoperable, customers can take greater control of their infrastructure and security posture, and enforce their security measures before allowing access."
Nortel specialises in protecting IP multimedia communications with a layered approach to network protection.
The company has a 'security in the DNA' design philosophy to protect the network at every touch point by building security measures in every new product, solution and network blueprint.
Atul Bhatnagar, the vice president and general manager, of Enterprise Networks, at Nortel added: "Teaming with Microsoft continues Nortel's efforts to drive standards-based security and is another proof point in our strategy to ensure intrinsic network security from the network core to user devices."
In addition, Nortel Networks and Symantec have made plans to jointly deliver products to help protect companies against Internet attacks before they hit servers and corporate systems.
A prototype system has already been developed that fuses Nortel's deep-packet inspection network technology with Symantec's LiveUpdate software to help users find threats in real time.
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