3G appliance gives secure access to web
SonicWall adds 3G connectivity options to its secure broadband routers.
Firms needing to set up secure internet connectivity quickly at sites with minimal or no onsite network connectivity may be tempted by security vendor SonicWall’s TZ-190 appliance, which was launched today.
UK technical manager Andrew Brown describes the TZ-190 as a standard SonicWall box with an eight-port LAN switch, a demilitarised zone (DMZ), a WAN connection at the rear and a DMZ link. At the side is a PC-Card slot that takes 3G cards from Vodafone or T-Mobile.
“The TZ-190 is pretty unique in the market. There are 3G systems around, but there’s no appliance like this designed as a complete security system for 3G data with all the services you’re used to seeing from SonicWall,” he said.
Depending on how the TZ-190 is configured, the appliance can use the 3G connection as a backup connection or as the primary internet interface. “It’s a full-blown stateful packet inspection firewall with gateway antivirus, gateway anti-spyware, content filtering and intrusion prevention,” Brown added.
He explained that the TZ-190 will suit sites that need temporary internet access but do not want to be locked into a 12-month contract for broadband connectivity. The device can also be attached to a wireless access point to give users more freedom to move.
The device operates off a mains cable but Brown said it plans to offer an adapter that can take power from a standard 12V car battery. The TZ-190 is available now priced around £530 and can handle 15 IPSec VPNs and also supports GPRS, Edge, UMTS and HSDPA wireless connectivity.