Sony Life Chooses F5 Networks' FirePass(R) Product for Enterprise-Wide
Secure Remote Access
Dynamic endpoint security checking identifies remote access source,
ensuring maximum security for a leading insurance company in Japan
SEATTLE----Sept. 27, 2005--F5 Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:FFIV), the global leader in Application Traffic Management, today announced that Sony Life Insurance Co. Ltd., one of Japan's leading insurance companies, has chosen F5's FirePass(R) Controller. Over 4000 Sony Life employees and 2,700 distribution agents now have simple, reliable and secure access to their business applications. Using F5's SSL VPN product, Sony Life improves work efficiencies by enabling its employees to access internal applications from any location and from any device (laptops, home PCs, kiosks, etc.). Key reasons for Sony Life's choice of FirePass include:
-- Sales staff can easily gain network access from any location
in a secure manner
-- Strong endpoint security capabilities and interoperability
with their existing LDAP system
-- Easy deployment process, with no need to configure client PCs
-- Out of the box integration with Sony's applications and user
directory
-- Flexible Windows Registry checks to identify the remote system
connecting to the FirePass Controller.
Because Sony Life handles highly confidential private information, security is a key concern for the company, particularly in light of Japan's Privacy Policy Act that took effect in April 2005. The decision to deploy the FirePass SSL VPN was part of Sony Life's broad company-wide initiative to improve information security. In addition to making VPN access more secure, this includes such measures as establishing an information security policy and gaining ISMS (Information Security Management System) authentication.
All Sony sales representatives have laptops, enabling them to access AIOS 2000, the company's sales support system, from any location. This system gives them the information they need to prepare proposals, quotations and presentations. Before deploying the FirePass product, Sony Life sales representatives had been using a dial-up remote system to access their internal resources. However, representatives working from a location with a broadband connection could not connect to AIOS 2000, since the dial-up system works only with analog modem or ISDN systems. Sony Life was also concerned over the complexity and hassle of managing accounts on the dial-up system. For example, password changes were managed by an outside agency.
About the FirePass Controller
The FirePass Controller is the industry's first SSL VPN solution that provides complete cross-platform support and broad access to applications, including Web hosts, client-server applications, and legacy hosts. Unlike IPSec VPN products, which require the installation of special client software, the FirePass solution offers a clientless SSL VPN service that provides access through any standard browser interface. It also offers the only open API (application programming interface) and SDK (software developer's kit), enabling third-party application vendors to build seamless, secure remote access into their client applications. |
