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Security without borders

Connecting anyone, anywhere, using any device, with high levels of security.

Cisco is tackling today’s enterprise security challenges with a new architecture that will help enable business users to access information from any device and any location with a high degree of ease and security. The company announced the Cisco Secure Borderless Network architecture, which evolves enterprise security by focusing on four critical anchors: enterprise endpoints (mobile or fixed), the Internet edge, the data centre, and policy that is context- and location-aware.

As the first proof point of this architecture, Cisco is releasing the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility solution and expanding Cisco TrustSec to provide businesses with identity and granular control over policy to maximise persistent security and protection. This is especially important as workforces are increasingly mobile and are using new forms of Web-based collaboration and communication, making traditional security approaches insufficient.

Borderless network architecture highlights

* Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility – Integrates functionality across the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, the Cisco IronPort S-Series Web Security Appliance and the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance firewall. The next-generation remote access, advanced Web security and threat-intelligence capabilities of this solution helps allow enterprises to extend their corporate policy and controls to mobile users.

Specific enhancements within Cisco AnyConnect include:

- Seamless, always-on highly secure connectivity.

- Automatic security gateway detection.

- Trusted network detection.

- Highly secure application access for both managed and unmanaged devices.

Specific enhancements within Cisco IronPort Web Security Appliance include:

- Application visibility and deep control.

- SaaS access controls.

- Enhanced threat defence.

- Unified on-premises and off-premises security policies and reporting.

Future plans call for extending the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility solution to include hybrid enforcement delivered through the Cisco IronPort S-Series appliances and cloud-based security delivered through Cisco ScanSafe. By combining the endpoint, the network and the cloud within one solution, Cisco will provide great flexibility and scalability for enterprises.

Availability: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility is scheduled to be available in the second quarter of calendar year 2010.

* Cisco TrustSec – Helps customers build policy, identity and protection into the network with policy-based access control, identity-aware networking, and data integrity and confidentiality. With Cisco TrustSec, customers can better protect borderless networks by simplifying management of security policy and access control and enabling highly secure collaboration. The Cisco TrustSec solution is now expanded to include Cisco Network Admission Control (NAC) and Cisco Identity-Based Networking Services (IBNS).

New Cisco TrustSec features include integrated device profiling and guest access services for 802.1X environments, enhanced 802.1X-based technologies, advanced end-to-end monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities, delivery of Security Group Tag (SGT), and SGT Exchange Protocol (SXP) technologies for Cisco Catalyst and Cisco Nexus switches.

Availability: Expanded features within Cisco TrustSec are planned for delivery in the second quarter of calendar year 2010.

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