Intel Helps Businesses Make Internet Phone Calls Through Corporate Firewalls
Check Point Software, Cisco, and Trusted Information Systems to Deliver Standards-Compliant Firewall Products SANTA CLARA, CALIF., March 6, 1997 -- Intel Corporation today announced that its work with three of the Internet industry's firewall vendors has resulted in new benefits for business PC users. Soon business users will be able to send and receive audio and video phone calls through company firewalls and over the Internet while maintaining data security of corporate computing networks. As a result of Intel's collaboration, firewall products from Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems and Trusted Information Systems will offer this new capability in compliance with the H.323 Internet communication standard. Intel developed a technical solution to solve the problem of getting H.323 standards-based Internet communications through firewalls. Firewalls are the software programs that restrict the flow of information between a company's network and the Internet in order to keep sensitive information private. Intel produced a technical paper to document the solution for allowing the H.323 communication standard to be supported in firewalls and then developed software to validate that solution. Intel worked with the firewall vendors to validate the H.323 standard in their upcoming products. With this announcement, Check Point Software, Cisco and Trusted Information Systems have all stated support for the H.323 standard and that they plan to offer standard-compliant firewall products later this year. These products include:
"The Intel Architecture Labs are devoted to delivering technology that enhances Internet communications and makes interoperability over the Internet a reality for business," said Craig Kinnie, vice president and general manager, Intel's Internet and Communications Group. "Intel is promoting the adoption of the H.323 standard in firewall products so that Internet phone calls can be placed in a business-to-business or business-to-customer setting." "Check Point Software is pleased to announce immediate support for the H.323 communications standard," said Deborah Triant, president and CEO of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. "With the proliferation of audio and video applications on the Internet, and their adoption within corporate intranets and extranets for business applications, our work with Intel has been important to ensure interoperability across the rapidly-evolving corporate infrastructure." "Cisco recognizes businesses require enhanced communication with their customers, vendors, and other companies while maintaining scaleable end-to-end security solutions," said Christine Hemrick, general manager and vice president of the Internet Appliances and Applications Business Unit at Cisco. "Cisco is committed to bring the broadest possible communications capabilities to business users." "Customers choose Gauntlet firewalls because they need a system that can support the new applications that they want in a secure fashion," said Steven Lipner, executive vice president and general manager, Network Security Products at Trusted Information Systems. "Incorporating Intel's new H.323-compliant technology to support a new generation of multimedia products is a perfect example of our commitment to making Gauntlet not only the most secure firewall available, but also the most useful." Technical details about upcoming firewall products Check Point Software's FireWall-1 -- Support for H.323 will be included in Check Point Software's next release of FireWall-1, version 3.0, which will ship later this month. Through the company's high-performance Stateful Inspection implementation, support for new applications and standards, such as H.323, can be included quickly and easily. FireWall-1 is the foundation of the company's OPSEC (Open Platform for Secure Enterprise Connectivity) architecture, an open, extensible management framework whereby customers can easily and seamlessly integrate a full spectrum of security applications to manage functions such as access control, address translation, authentication, auditing, accounting, encryption and content security. Cisco PIX Firewall – The PIX Firewall is a high-performance, stateful security product allowing over 16,000 simultaneous TCP/IP connections through the use of its embedded Adaptive Security Algorithm. The PIX Firewall will support H.323 technology with or without network address translation (NAT) making deployment and network expansion easier for users. By supporting H.323-based technology through the PIX Firewall, users are ensured expedient delivery of Internet telephony communications. Trusted Information Systems Gauntlet family of firewall products - The Gauntlet firewall is an application relay, or proxy firewall - the most secure form of firewall. The Gauntlet application of the H.323 proxy will monitor and control all H.323 calls between the organization's internal network and the Internet (or between Intranet domains). The proxy can ensure that only valid H.323 traffic is permitted through the Gauntlet firewall. It can also enforce access control policies to determine which users can initiate or receive H.323 calls, what destinations are appropriate, and whether a particular user is allowed to use video facilities. The proxy will be managed consistently with the other Gauntlet firewall proxies and support the same level of auditing. Additional information about Intel Internet technologies, including the H.323 standard, is available at Intel's web site at www.intel.com. Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products. Through innovative technologies, Intel is committed to improving the Internet experience for PC consumers. Additional information is available at www.intel.com/pressroom. Other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. |