Adaptec Selects ConSentry Intelligent Switches as “Best in Class” Solution for Network Upgrade and Future Growth

ConSentry’s Next-Generation Switching Architecture Delivers Operational Efficiency, Reduced Cost, Network Control and Visibility

Milpitas, CA –January 28, 2008 – With the debut today of its Intelligent Switching architecture, ConSentry Networks announced that Adaptec, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADPT), a global leader in storage solutions, is deploying the ConSentry LANShield™ Switch as part of a total network upgrade.  The company is using LANShield’s Intelligent Switching capability to provide user and application control across its worldwide operations, including its Milpitas, California, headquarters, its technology centre in Orlando, Florida, and nine other locations.

The challenge for Lou Owayni, Adaptec global network and telecom manager, was positioning the company for new global growth with a “best in class” next-generation network capable of delivering new services, a reduced total cost of operation (TCO), and consolidated management.

According to Owayni, Adaptec required differentiated access control for engineering teams and company visitors, separation of the company’s lab and production networks, support for new wireless and voice over IP (VoIP) implementations, better user activity reporting, and future proofing to accommodate new technologies. He was also seeking to reduce TCO across LAN switches as well as the new wireless and VoIP services. 

After reviewing LAN access switches from Cisco Systems and others, Adaptec selected the ConSentry LANShield Switch, based on its Intelligent Switching architecture, to displace the existing Cisco access switches.  Adaptec is deploying LANShield Switches across its access edge, supporting the wireless and VoIP services and running 10 gigabit uplinks for future proofing.

Editors Note:  See the announcement “ConSentry Delivers Integrated User and Application Control to LAN Access Edge with Intelligent Switching Architecture,” also released today, for more details on Intelligent Switching.

Intelligent Switching Addresses Today’s, Future Business Requirements “Other vendors cannot come close to the total solution that ConSentry’s Intelligent Switching provides. The value add of having a solution that is fully integrated into one platform with one company is key, unlike the multiple solutions from other vendors that must be integrated through external efforts,” Owayni explained. “Adaptec believes in ConSentry’s technology and its support. The ConSentry team demonstrated, from the outset of the selection process, the drive to make this network upgrade a success.”

The ConSentry Intelligent Switching solution enables Adaptec to be more efficient in its processes, improve accountability across the business, and increase agility as it adapts to changing business dynamics. New LAN services will make life simpler for both network users and IT, Owayni said. Adaptec currently utilises only machine-based access control; when a user joins or leaves the company, Owayni has to touch multiple directories, resulting in operational inefficiencies and high overhead. “With ConSentry, we add the new user to Active Directory and everything else needed for that user’s access policy is done automatically,” noted Owayni. The ConSentry switches know not only the user’s identity but also the role and application, automatically applying the correct policy to all traffic from that user. “This simplicity improves our efficiency, reduces our TCO tremendously, and provides immediate control of who is accessing what on the network.”

Today, when vendors, guests, or contractors come in to Adaptec, they have to spend up to fifteen minutes changing the settings on their equipment. “With the LANShield solution, they’ll be up and running immediately. It’s not just continuity of access but, more important, continuity of tracking. Knowing where the users are and what they’re doing also will tell me where I need to add more resources in the future,” stated Owayni. In addition, Owayni plans to utilise LANShield’s role-based LAN segmentation – without the need for VLANs or ACLs – to ensure only approved individuals have access to specific information and resources.

Consolidated Management with InSight™
ConSentry’s solution also provides consolidated management through its InSight Command Center, where Owayni can capture and view network traffic data as well as set policies. ConSentry’s InSight provides centralized visibility into network activity with incident- and exception-based information, resolved to the username, at Layer 7 for common business protocols, such as file names and URLs.  This visibility is particularly useful for Adaptec’s remote sites, with their limited IT resources, since Owayni now can understand and support that user community remotely. 

“Adaptec is a technology leader in its own field and sought a best-of-class solution in its switch upgrade,” noted Dan Leary, vice president of marketing at ConSentry. “Adaptec, like any company undergoing a wiring closet refresh, will benefit from the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of our combination of Intelligent Switching innovation; a powerful, all-in-one platform; and our stellar support team.”