Nortel Networks Announces Network-Based 'Secure DSL' Solution For 'Always On' DSL Lines
Secure DSL One of Suite of Capabilities
To Accelerate Mass Market DSL Deployment
RESTON, Va., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Nortel Networks* (NYSE: NT; Toronto) today announced at DSLcon the availability of its 'Secure DSL' solution for protecting subscribers using 'always-on' DSL lines from network attack and hackers. Nortel Networks' Secure DSL solution offers complete security for DSL subscribers by securing each DSL line with network-based, stateful packet firewalls, precluding outside attacks. Secure DSL is one element of a suite of new capabilities announced today by Nortel Networks to enable mass market DSL and is offered as a new feature on the Shasta* Subscriber Service System (SSS) consisting of the Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node (BSN) with the IP Service Operating System (iSOS) and Service Creation System (SCS). The Shasta 5000 is currently in deployment with service providers around the world who are preparing for the transition to mass market deployment of DSL and other broadband access technologies.
Nortel Networks also announced today that ten prominent DSL vendors have joined with the company to educate customers about the use of 'Secure DSL' as a proactive solution for alleviating the increasing concerns in the mass market about the security risks of DSL lines. These companies include Cayman Systems Inc., CopperCom, Efficient Networks Inc., FlowPoint, Jetstream Communications Inc., Netopia, Inc., Network TeleSystems, Inc., Promatory Communications, Inc., TollBridge Technologies and Wind River Systems, Inc.
Because DSL lines are typically always connected to the Internet, unlike the intermittent, dynamic connections of dial networks, computers attached to DSL lines are exposed to security attacks from across the Internet. As DSL becomes more widely deployed, increasing numbers of DSL subscribers have reported attacks on their computers, sometimes leading to copying or destruction of sensitive data.
"It is critically important for the rapid adoption of DSL that we in the DSL industry find an easy, cost-effective solution for securing 'always-on' DSL lines," said Anthony Alles, president and general manager of the Nortel Networks' Shasta IP Services unit. "DSL is a mass market technology, and will be widely deployed to residential and small business customers, most of whom lack the technical skills and resources to deploy and maintain their own security solutions, like expensive, stand-alone firewall boxes. Nortel Networks developed Secure DSL as an integral part of our DSL aggregation solutions because we recognized the need for security to be a standard capability of all broadband lines. Security is an expectation, not a feature, for the mass market, and DSL service providers who do not provide such integral security capabilities may find themselves at a severe competitive disadvantage."
"With the growing adoption of DSL access for residential customers and small to medium-sized businesses, the shift from dial-up Internet connections to 'always on' networks are making these users a vulnerable target for hackers," said Dave Passmore, research director and founder of NetReference, Inc. "While security is an assumed feature for most consumers, the reality is that most high-speed aggregation solutions are not securing the home PC or small to medium-sized business user. An exception is the Nortel Networks' Shasta 5000 with built-in security."
The Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node is designed to power the subscriber edge of the network, where last mile technologies like DSL meet the Internet backbone and where broadband subscribers will meet broadband services. The Shasta 5000 enables carriers, competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to increase their competitive advantage by transitioning from the simple connectivity model enabled by first generation subscriber management systems, to a profitable, network-based, value-added services model. The Shasta 5000 enables the aggregation of tens of thousands of DSL subscribers in a single chassis, and with its unique multi-processor architecture with more than 100 CPUs, the Shasta 5000 also has the unparalleled processing power to apply sophisticated, stateful firewalls to each individual subscriber.
"Security is a major issue for DSL Service Providers to meet mass market demands for secure, always-on connections. We believe a scalable, network- based solution is the best way to solve the security issue for mass market DSL deployment," said Brad Connors, president and CEO of DSLnetworks. "Nortel Networks' Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node delivers highly scalable, network-based firewalls from a single platform, which helps us grow with our customer base while providing them with the highest level of secure DSL service in the 30+ markets that we now serve."
The Shasta Subscriber Service System also features the Shasta Service Creation System (SCS), a sophisticated GUI based policy management system that allows service providers to easily create and provision highly flexible firewall and other service policies for thousands of subscribers. The SCS can also integrate into service providers' existing AAA, OSS, billing and directory infrastructures for flow through provisioning, using open interfaces such as CORBA.
Customer Segmentation Through Network Firewalls
Beyond securing DSL, network firewalls can also help service providers to segment DSL users and hence maximize the revenue potential from their DSL infrastructure. This is critical because DSL, unlike legacy access technologies, can be applied to the entire market. While this can reduce operational costs for service providers, it also precludes market segmentation through distinct access methods, as is the norm today (e.g. $19.95/month dial for residential and $1500/month leased lines for business). Because market segments such as residential versus small businesses, have both a very different willingness to pay, and distinct network usage patterns, network firewall policies tailored to those network usage patterns are also a very effective market segmentation mechanism. Unlike current segmentation mechanisms -- e.g. based on number of IP addresses assigned -- network firewall based segmentation mechanisms cannot be spoofed or bypassed, and provide service providers the tools to leverage the same DSL infrastructure across all market segment using tiered service profiles and tariffs.
Secure DSL is one element of a new suite of capabilities of the Shasta Subscriber Service System which facilitates mass market DSL deployment. Beyond accelerating mass market adoption of DSL with Secure DSL solutions, Nortel Networks will also address the key requirements of service providers transitioning from early technology trials to mass market DSL deployment. These requirements include rapid, low cost, DSL build-out to maximize market presence with scalable, redundant aggregation solutions; support for flexible DSL wholesale models and bulk provisioning of DSL connections; and a seamless migration to value-added services to lock in customers and build the broadband business case.
Enabling Rapid, Scalable DSL Build-Out
To enable rapid, low cost mass market DSL deployment, the Shasta 5000 can support tens of thousands of concurrent DSL subscribers, an order of magnitude greater scalability than first generation subscriber management systems. The Shasta 5000 also supports all DSL types and all varieties of DSL CPE, including CPE routers, bridges, directly connected PCs and multi-host networks using PPP over Ethernet, allowing service providers to provision all customer segments and requirements through a single solution. The SSS can also interface with the existing dial AAA infrastructure of service providers for cost effective, scalable subscriber management. The Shasta 5000 is also a highly modular platform, allowing service providers to scale cost effectively as their subscriber base grows, starting with support for 1,000 or less subscribers and scaling modularly to more than 32,000 concurrently active subscribers.
Always Up for Always On
Mass market DSL deployment requires a new generation of carrier grade DSL aggregation and subscriber management system, unlike first generation, PC based subscriber management systems. The Shasta 5000 is designed for full NEBS compliance, for carrier deployment, and has full common equipment redundancy for non-stop operation. The Shasta 5000 is also designed for easy field upgrade of processing capabilities and service features ensuring scaling according to Moore's Law, without the need for 'forklift' upgrades thus allowing service providers to migrate to higher subscriber densities -- and greater value-add capabilities. As service providers work to unify their disparate access networks, the point in the network of subscriber aggregation will become increasingly important, and hence reliability of these platforms is critical. The Shasta 5000 is designed as the universal aggregation point for all network access technologies and services, including not only DSL, but also legacy infrastructures such as wholesale dial and Frame Relay, and new access technologies such as cable and wireless.
Value-Added Wholesaling to Accelerate DSL Deployment
DSL deployment is being accelerated today by specialized DSL access providers who provision DSL lines and wholesale access to DSL subscribers to ISPs. The Shasta 5000 fully supports this wholesale model today to enable service providers to aggregate subscribers from multiple access providers and hence rapidly build out their subscriber base. The Shasta 5000 also supports a variety of value-added wholesaling mechanisms to allow DSL access providers also to deliver more differentiated and sustainable wholesale services. These mechanisms include support for virtual static and routed ISP contexts, each with a secure and separate administrative view, within a single Shasta 5000. This allows service providers the ability to provision subscribers and services without the cost of direct, local termination of aggregated DSL subscribers. The Shasta 5000 also supports a wide variety of service selection capabilities, to allow subscribers to dynamically choose a service provider upon session establishment, and also has full support for the L2TP protocol for DSL telecommuter access.
Enabling Mass Market DSL Provisioning
Large scale, cost effective subscriber provisioning is essential to service providers as they transition from test beds to the mass market. The Subscriber Service System is designed to allow service providers to rapidly scale the provisioning of millions of DSL subscribers through bulk provisioning of DSL connections which allow service providers to set up templates that can be automatically applied to tens of thousands of lines, without the need for operator involvement. The Subscriber Service System is also designed to allow customers to self-provision the services they desire through simple web screens that interface into existing customer care and AAA systems for account set-up, and into the SCS through which they can choose desired service profiles, such as required bandwidth, quality of service profiles and security capabilities.
Seamless Migration to Services
Unlike first generation subscriber management systems, the Shasta Subscriber Service System is designed to provide service providers a seamless migration to the customized, value-added services, which will drive the broadband business case.
"Scaling DSL to the mass market is a means, not the end, to the vision our customers have of value-added broadband networks," said Anthony Alles. "Service providers are looking to rapidly and cost-effectively build out DSL today to maximize market presence and market share, but they understand that their business case will be driven by network services that add value to customers. The Subscriber Service System is designed as a 'tool kit' for constructing such network services. Secure DSL is the first example of the power of this system and is a good example of the kinds of service capabilities that will allow service providers to differentiate their service offerings and build greater network value. There are many more exciting iSOS services that we at Nortel Networks are currently working with our service provider partners to develop and deploy."
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