InformationWeek

January 12, 1998

Sun Solaris To Get Firewall

Security strategy also includes software package

un Microsystems is preparing a a security strategy that includes embedding firewall functionality into its Solaris operating system, a move analysts say other systems vendors may follow.

The first step in the strategy will be the March release of Sunscreen SecureNet, an aggressively priced package of security software that includes firewall, encryption, host security, and virtual private network capabilities. In phase two of the strategy, Sun plans to integrate a full-featured firewall into Solaris by mid-year.

Embedding a firewall into Sun's operating system will help Federal Home Loan Bank manage security and extend encryption to its internal network, says Nancy Parker, VP of IT at the Dallas bank, which uses Solaris for production systems. "It's going to ease administration, because you aren't layering products on top of the operating sy stem," she says.

"There will be some firewall features that become part of operating systems, but I don't see this as being the complete solution," says Michael Goulde, an analyst at the Patricia Seybold Group. Goulde and other analysts maintain that embedded firewalls won't threaten the standalone firewall market because many companies will still need more rigorous security.

The SecureNet package will include some new capabilities, such as a feature that will let IT managers control who has access to specific Java applets, says Walt O'Maley, senior product marketing manager at Sun.

SecureNet will also include Sun Security Manager, a tool for administering SecureNet. By year's end, Sun will also let users manage SecureNet from its Solstice management platform. SecureNet will be priced at $3,000 for a 100-node license, $10,000 for an unlimited number of nodes.

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