Hifn
combines expertise in network processing, security, compression,
content search, and flow classification into industry leading
solutions for Network, Storage and Security OEMs. Companies
around the world trust Hifn to accelerate, secure, and classify
their data communication traffic across the Internet.
Superior
Technology
By using Hifn's comprehensive network security solutions,
customers gain an edge over their competition. The unique
Hifn all-in-one technology is inexpensive and easier to
implement in networking hardware than other solutions on
the market today. Hifn's unequaled compression expertise
with LZS data compression – a de facto networking
industry standard – means interoperability and huge
deployment savings for network-based business communications.
HIPP (Hifn Intelligent Packet
Processing)
In November 2000, the company brought to market the HIPP
security processor. The first security processor on the
market with intelligent packet processing, HIPP includes
a wide range of industry standard compression, public key,
encryption, and authentication engines. Hifn's security
processors offer the unique ability to dynamically handle
both IPsec and SSL processing. By leveraging firmware flexibility
for protocol support for both IPsec and SSL, Hifn security
processors can now support emerging applications that possess
both IPsec VPN and SSL VPN functionality. Hifn also supports
TLS and proposed AES ciphersuite extensions to TLS. TLS
enhances SSL's older key exchange and message integrity
options, for even stronger security. Hifn's IPsec and SSL
solutions deliver high connection rates and scale to multi-gigabit
throughputs. Hifn’s packet processing firmware can
also be extended to future protocols.
HIPP
III – Moving to FlowThrough™
The Hifn FlowThrough Security Architecture positions IPsec
and other security processing where it belongs - directly
in the data path. This approach enables expanded security
processor functionality, optimizes encryption performance,
and minimizes overall system overhead. System designers
are freed from worrying about how security functionality
will impact system design and performance. Integration is
simplified through the use of standard software and hardware
interfaces and the requirement of only a minimum of software
for configuration and exception handling.
Hifn
has again pioneered yet another higher level of security
integration on a single chip. The HIPP III 4300, 4350, 8300
and 8350 are the industry’s first true FlowThrough
security processors and process the entire IPsec and IKE
protocols in an in-line architecture. Hifn is the only vendor
today that offers such a complete solution on a single chip.
This
system-on-a-chip solution offers unprecedented price/performance
value. This approach not only lowers the device cost, but
also significantly lowers the system cost and engineering
development cost. The FlowThrough architecture is indeed
a significant leap forward in embedded security solutions.
HSP
In addition to industry leading security processor chips
Hifn can provide embedded systems solutions for high security
FIPS 140-2 cryptographic modules. The Hifn Security Platform
(HSP) provides the highest level of systems security to
ensure that the integrity of the cryptographic system and
secret keys even if a hacker or virus compromises the host
processor. Viruses and vulnerabilities are no longer the
exclusive problem of desktop and server computers. New exploits
can now attack even the routers and firewalls that we depend
on to keep our networks secure. The new watchword for security
is “defense in depth.” Strong cryptography requires
strong systems at the endpoints to protect the keys and
secrets that everything else depends on.
HSP
uses a private CPU and memory inaccessible from the host
to protect keys and session contexts. It uses a secure API
and cryptographic authentication of it’s own firmware
to ensure that no secrets will be revealed even if an intruder
gains full control of the host system.
LZS
Compression
Hifn's core compression technology has been adopted throughout
its target markets in a wide variety of networking and storage
standards. Hifn patents provide the fundamental know-how
for the design of high-performance, cost-effective implementations
of lossless compression of data. Hifn’s LZS compression
algorithm has been standardized by many organizations, including
ANSI (X.3.241), QIC (122), IETF (RFC 1967, RFC 1974), TIA/EIA
(655), and the Frame Relay Forum (FRF.9).
Apart
from the storage market, LZS compression plays a vital role
for VPN equipment manufacturers. Most of Hifn’s security
processors contain high-speed compression engines that grants
service providers three primary benefits, which in turn,
are passed on to the VPN user.
- First,
compressed packets consume less network equipment bandwidth.
- Next,
compression reduces fragmentation of packets due to IPsec
processing, since packet length is shorter.
- Thirdly,
line rate performance is significantly enhanced.
Hifn
is the only company that provides LZS compression and security
on a single, low-cost processor.
MeterFlow™
Classification
Through its stateful analysis, MeterFlow tracks applications
as they dynamically create network sessions (VoIP, Web based
FTP, Oracle, SAP, etc.). This capability is crucial for
providing information about how network applications are
performing and the effects they are having on network productivity.
MeterFlow’s
patented technology is used by OEMs to embellish their own
solutions and product offerings by offering greater visibility
to more application information thereby making the vendor
solution more robust and differentiated.
Systems such as firewalls, NAT (Network Address Translation)
devices, intrusion detection systems, QoS & bandwidth
management systems, and policy-based management tools can
benefit from the application-aware, deep packet classification
information and services that MeterFlow provides.
Network
Processors
Hifn's line of network processors are advanced, robust,
programmable, high-performance solutions for the most demanding
routing applications. In addition, Hifn’s run to completion
software model allows network equipment vendors to provide
services on the same routing platform. Hifn’s family
of network processors are designed to enable networking
equipment vendors to respond to the rapid evolution of networking
applications and market needs by enhancing and differentiating
their products with multigigabit software rather than hardware.
The
embedded PowerPC gives manufactures the flexibility to support
custom functions, such as enhanced frame processing, configuration,
and box management. The integrated PCI interface enables
connection to new peripheral devices to help meet customer
needs.
Meeting
time-to-market requirements is essential. Hifn's Advanced
Software Offering and development tools provide an open
control and data infrastructure through APIs residing on
a general-purpose processor and on the chip itself to leverage
the hardware capability and programmability of the 5NP4G.
A protocol stack interface provides specific application
support for easier implementation of 5NP4G-based products
in a wide range of network applications.
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