Nokia has rolled out two new IP security appliances, the Nokia IP290 and Nokia IP690 security platforms, offering IT investment protection and a greater choice of security software applications.

Nokia IP690 is the first new IP security appliance with a multi-core and multithreading architecture optimized for performance and scalability. The new hardware design offers investment protection by extending product life from two years to an average of five years. Nokia hardware platforms purchased today are upgradeable when newer versions of the Nokia IPSO operating system are released, and Nokia IP690 is expandable through various interface cards and accelerated data path (ADP card) technologies. This expandable approach allows customers to retain their initial investment for longer periods of time by offering the flexibility to expand performance at their own pace.

Nokia IP290 combines powerful network performance with a compact 1/2 RU form factor, offering branch offices and extended enterprise sites a security appliance backed by Nokia global support. Expandable with an included empty PMC slot, Nokia IP290 ships with Nokia IPSO 4.2 and an updated architecture, making it a reliable platform for unified threat management (UTM) implementations.

Nokia security appliances detect and block the increasingly sophisticated threats companies face as mobile device usage among workers expands, and as new network traffic patterns alter business security requirements. They use deep packet inspection to uncover vulnerabilities and provide protection against application-level threats in the perimeter, core and data center.

Nokia IP690 security platform is designed to meet the price performance, multi-Gigabit throughput and port-density requirements of medium to large businesses and service providers. It readies businesses for processor-intensive security applications by introducing multi-core and multithreading architecture. Businesses planning to implement next generation security applications can take advantage of the native enhancements and expandability features of Nokia IP690 without costly 'forklift' upgrades. A compact 1RU (rack unit) security appliance, Nokia IP690 supports next generation ADP cards to accelerate firewall and VPN performance and delivers enhanced business continuity through features such as dual, hot-swappable power supplies and optional redundant hard disk drives.

Nokia IP690 Firewall/VPN delivers up to 7 Gbps (Gigabit per second) of throughput performance and up to 16 Gigabit Ethernet ports to run Check Point VPN-1, Check Point Power and VPN-1 UTM suite of applications.

Nokia IP690 Intrusion Prevention with Sourcefire delivers a 1 Gbps sensor and offers the unique combination of highest port density and performance in a single rack configuration. The solution is hardware optimized for security and offers reliability and the feature set of the Nokia IPSO operating system.

Nokia IP290 is a multi-purpose security platform for small and branch offices, and extended enterprises that require robust, large-enterprise performance, simple remote management, and high reliability at a low total cost of ownership. The compact, 1/2RU form factor design allows for side-by-side redundancy in a single 1RU pull-out tray providing a low-cost/high-availability solution with IP clustering and VRRP technologies (virtual router redundancy protocol).

Nokia IP290 Firewall/VPN supports traditional firewall and next generation security applications such as Check Point VPN-1 UTM, which includes firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, antivirus and URL filtering. Nokia IP290 Firewall combines Nokia hardware design with market-leading Check Point software and the Nokia IPSO operating system for maximum security, high availability, reliability and manageability.

Nokia IP290 Intrusion Prevention with Sourcefire, as part of the Nokia Intrusion Prevention (IPS) portfolio, ensures that whatever the performance requirements for a company's network, there is an intrusion prevention appliance to meet them. Nokia offers performance of 100Mbps, 250Mbps, 400Mbps and 1Gbps across the product range. Nokia IP290 also offers resellers and system integrators a lower point-of-entry for branching out beyond firewalls to deliver intrusion prevention systems.

Nokia IP290 and Nokia IP690 are available now starting at $3,995 and $29,995 respectively. Channel partners can also take advantage of the Nokia FastTrack marketing program for added incentives on Nokia Intrusion Prevention.