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Supply chain infrastructure and network security the focus of new Extreme Networks solution
Fri, 17th Dec 2021
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Extreme Networks Inc. has announced a new technology solution designed to protect critical network infrastructure.

The solution aims to protect critical data in various situations, with a heavy focus on safety in the supply chain environment.

Extreme Trusted Delivery is said to be a carrier-grade solution that protects critical network infrastructure and ensures it is performing as anticipated without interference, regardless of location.

The company says it aims to help secure networks at remote and unattended cellular edge sites, as well as within co-location and data center environments where shared facility access is a potential concern.

With supply chain security now being more critical than ever with the adoption of hybrid work and technology, Extreme Networks says that state of the art technology is required to keep up with the demands.

The new technology enables network administrators to validate hardware components, boot processes, and the operating system (OS) throughout the device lifecycle without disrupting device functionality and therefore mitigating the risk of supply chain cyberattacks.

As a result of the new technology, the company says it will add increased simplicity in hardware validation.

It uses measured boot, an anti-tamper mechanism that gives operators the ability to validate hardware and boot processes remotely without shutting the device down.

This saves time and resources and prevents unnecessary service disruptions. Measured boot implementation is enabled by a microcontroller-based hardware root of trust (HWRoT) in conjunction with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM).

Additionally, with remote attestation, the process delivers increased verification that the device is functioning as expected by enabling an off-box arbiter of trust option and ongoing binary-level validation.

According to IDC research VP for datacenter and multicloud networks Brad Casemore, the rise in sophisticated cyberattacks that targets supply chains warrants the need for innovative solutions and believes this new technology will help businesses prevent long term damage.

“Attacks on supply chains are growing in frequency and sophistication. As a result, considerable value derives from the ability to verify a devices performance and security, at any time, without the need to shut off a service or to send a technician to a remote location. With Trusted Delivery, Extreme is taking measures to help customers ensure that their investments in IT infrastructure are protected, bolstering the reliability and security of devices throughout their lifecycle.

Extreme Networks VP of service provider product management and engineering Dan DeBacker agrees, saying that the new technology is a step in the right direction for the future of supply chain and network safety.

“Our goal is to make managing network security as easy as possible for our customers. By giving them the ability to ensure devices are functioning normally without interrupting service, or without costly truck rolls, we can address one of their biggest pain points,” he says.

“Ensuring the security of our solutions is a continuous effort and is one of our most important roles as a provider of end-to-end network infrastructure.