Sun, Symantec Team On Intrusion-Detection Appliance

The iForce Intrusion Detection Appliance, unveiled at the RSA Conference here this week, sits on an existing network behind the firewall to profile network traffic and send out alerts on security breaches and network intrusions. It is slated to be available by the end of April, according to Sun.

The appliance combines Sun's x86-based server running Solaris OS x86 Platform Edition with Symantec's ManHunt network-based intrusion-detection system to create a completely integrated solution, said Sanjay Sharma, security sector group manager, market development organization at Sun. "It is a solution that is easier for the customer to deploy and manage," he said. "Customers that don't have technical expertise have a box that offers complete functionality."

Fred Klein, business development manager at Symantec, said the appliance was developed in part because of customer and channel partner demand for Symantec to enter the enterprise space. "Symantec has had success in the consumer and small-office space, and our relationship with Sun has helped us enter the enterprise," he said. "The reason this was created was customer demand and channel demand. [In developing this appliance], we were listening to our customers and the channel."

Having an integrated appliance "[limits] the risk in configuration of the box from a reliability standpoint," Klein said.

Symantec and Sun are training iForce partners on ManHunt to effectively sell the appliance, although ManHunt has been used in Sun Professional Services solutions in the past, according to Sun.

Four models of the iForce Intrusion Detection Appliance will be available, according to Sun, and will be distributed through Arrow Electronics' MOCA division for a starting price of $21,995.