Nortel Networks this week announced new switches and switch modules that bring SSL acceleration and SSL-based virtual private network capabilities to its Alteon and Passport switch lines.

Nortel unveiled two models of its new Alteon Application Switch 2424. The base model is intended to provide policy-based traffic management for a variety of applications, including time-sensitive applications like voice over IP and Web services.

A second model, the 2424-SSL, includes all the features of the base model along with integrated SSL processing and SSL VPN capabilities.

"People buy switches for about a three-year usage," says Diane Schmidt, director of product marketing for Nortel's Ethernet switching business. "So you need to look forward three years at the applications people will implement and where security requirements will be."

She says the Alteon 2424 switches have the horsepower to meet those future requirements, with the ability to handle up to 51,000 layer 7 sessions per second. With the integrated SSL processor, the switch can handle up to 16,000 concurrent SSL sessions and up to 2,000 SSL transactions per second.

First Nortel Switch With VPN

The Alteon 2424-SSL also represents the first time Nortel is offering an integrated SSL VPN with its switches; previously the company offered only SSL VPN software for its hardware platforms.

The implementation on the Alteon 2424-SSL adds to Nortel's existing clientless support for Web-based applications with support for Windows terminal applications, via a dynamic Java script that downloads to the client.

Nortel also unveiled the Alteon 8661 SSL Acceleration Module, which brings SSL acceleration capabilities to the Nortel Passport 8600 Layer 2-7 Intelligent Routing Switch. Each 8661 module supports up to 3,000 SSL transactions per second and the 8600 can accommodate up to four modules, enabling the switch to support a total of 12,000 SSL transactions per second. Nortel management tools enable a cluster of modules to be controlled as a single unit, with a single system image.

The 8661 SSL Acceleration Module will be available this month for $29,995. The Alteon 2424 switch will also be available this month for $28,495 while the 2424-SSL will ship in April with pricing starting at $31,995 for a version that supports 300 SSL transactions per second. An upgrade to 1,000 transactions/sec will cost $4,000.