eNews from Appia

Welcome to Appia eNews for August, 2007.

This month we introduce you to two new managed services from Appia — AppiaSecure and SpamManager. Our customer profile demonstrates the value of network monitoring, and this month’s customer tip fills you in on how to receive voicemails in your email inbox — a great way to save time and keep important messages in your file.

Introducing AppiaSecure: Secure Your Network from the Inside Out

Today’s networks must be protected from both internal abuse and external threats. AppiaSecure’s patent-pending technology uses customized digital certificates that enable you to control, on a user-by-user basis, access to your LAN and WAN from inside AND outside the network.

IP networks were originally designed to be “default open,” allowing users to access any device at any time and from any platform. This open access is convenient for users, but unfortunately, it leaves networks vulnerable to hackers, viruses and worms, and other malicious network intrusions.

The first generation response of network security solutions is known as the “point-product” approach, which involves applying a specialized device to each point of vulnerability on a network. As new threats are identified, new security software and devices are required. It’s similar to putting a “finger in the dike.”

The point-product approach can be quite costly, not only in terms of hardware and software, but it’s also complex to manage, leading to higher labor costs. Cisco Systems has said, “The point-product solution model has become inadequate for managing today’s network security risk, compliance and audit requirements.”

Isn’t it time to re-think network security? Rethinking network security is what led to the development of AppiaSecure, a comprehensive network security solution that enables network owners to control access by individual users, from both inside AND outside the network. AppiaSecure’s patent-pending approach uses two servers, the AppiaSecure Certificate Server, which is managed by Appia, and the AppiaSecure Gateway, which is installed on each network.

IT executives use the AppiaSecure Certificate Server to create accounts for network administrators, and to set up white or black lists for Websites and applications. Network administrators then use the AppiaSecure Certificate Server to set up permissions for each user on their LANs using encrypted certificates.

User permissions reside in the AppiaSecure Gateway, which also serves as a router and firewall. The gateway then manages permissions whenever the user is on the network. AppiaSecure controls user access to email, the Internet, internal servers, and more, based on the user’s permissions. The gateway also limits access by users outside the network and records intrusion attempts.

For more information about AppiaSecure, please call 877-277-4297 or visit www.appiaservices.com.

Clean Up Your Inbox with Appia SpamManager

Anyone who uses email knows that spam is not slowing down. A recent study estimates that as much as 85 percent of email messages can be classified as spam. Appia’s SpamManager enables you to block malicious messages, create white lists of approved email addresses, and more, all through an easy-to-use Web-based interface.

Most of us depend on email, and spammers know this. So they are constantly inventing new ways to send a seemingly unlimited flow of spam to our inboxes. The loss of company time alone is disruptive, but viruses, worms and other malware can cause damage that ends up being far worse than lost time.

Appia’s SpamManager allows you to take control of what makes it to your inbox. Through an easy-to-use Web-based interface, users can block malicious messages; create white lists of approved email addresses, and more.

Here’s how it works: SpamManager servers apply a set of rules to each message to determine if the message is spam. When spam is identified, the server stores the message and does not deliver it to your mailbox. Users can review messages that have been stored by logging into the SpamManager homepage. Once logged in, the user sees a list of all messages that have been stored on the server. Approved messages can be “released” and sent on the user’s inbox, while spam is easily deleted.

To find out more about ridding your inbox of unwanted spam and other malicious email, please call 877-277-4297.

Customer Profile: Dorman Products

Dorman Products, Inc. is a leading supplier of automotive products and home hardware. Recently, Dorman Products lost network availability at all of its sites. Read the case study to find out how Appia helped diagnose the problem and see it through to resolution.

Meet Face-to-Face from Any Location with Appia’s Desktop Video Conferencing

If you are an Appia IP-CTX or IP-PBX customer, use Cisco’s Unified Video Advantage solution for instant desktop video conferencing, creating an easy and affordable method of meeting face-to-face with colleagues, customers and suppliers.

The service integrates an IP camera with your IP phone, so when you call any other user who has this service, a video link opens automatically on each user’s PC display. Employees in separate offices can do more than just talk about products or ideas; they can demonstrate them on the spot.

If there’s a topic you’d like to see in future newsletters, or if you’d like more information about Appia’s products and services, don’t hesitate to email or give us a call!