Columbus OH and San Jose, CA — (company press release) — Moreton Bay LLC, a leading provider of embedded Linux Internet VPN routers, and Progressive Systems, Inc., a leading vendor of Linux-based network security solutions, today announced their joint development of an embedded firewall appliance solution based on the Progressive Systems Phoenix Adaptive Firewall, the only firewall for Linux that is both… ICSA and Linux Labs certified, and the Moreton Bay NETtel embedded Linux Internet VPN router. Targeting the cable and DSL markets, the combination will allow small business and home LAN users to address their growing concerns about Internet security by establishing Internet gateways and network security with unprecedented flexibility and affordability.

With the Phoenix Adaptive Firewall on the NETtel platform, Moreton Bay enhances its Internet VPN router product and will provide a full strength firewall solution to the burgeoning home and small business markets. The joint development team will bring the Progressive Systems enterprise-level Phoenix Adaptive Firewall to embedded Linux, running on the NETtel thin server. This embedded Linux firewall product will join other Phoenix offerings from Progressive Systems on the Cobalt RaQ and Qube platforms. With this product, Progressive will offer a complete suite of firewall appliance platforms to serve the security needs of customers of all sizes, from home users to large corporate headquarters. The development will leverage Moreton Bay's renowned embedded Linux and hardware expertise with the extensive security experience offered by Progressive Systems. The final product will carry the Phoenix Adaptive Firewall brand name and will be available through the worldwide channel and sales organizations of both companies.

“The home and small business market is growing faster than any other segment,” said Peter Cronk, VP Business Development of Moreton Bay. “This market segment recognizes the need for security, but to date the solutions have been either unaffordable or insecure. The combination of NETtel and Phoenix fills this space with an affordable embedded Linux appliance. With this product, Progressive Systems is poised to make a significant mark on the SOHO security Internet appliance market.”

In addition to the firewall component, the NETtel family of routers provides remote access ports and is VPN enabled. Cable, xDSL, ISDN TAs and V.90 modems may be used in connection with a NETtel. “The NETtel's open embedded Linux design will allow us to integrate a security payload and deliver an out-of-the-box security solution that is simple to use and that provides a superior level of protection,” said David Dawson, VP of Business Opportunities at Progressive. “Affordability and functionality are the main drivers in the SOHO market and only an embedded platform will deliver an acceptable solution. Because of Moreton Bay's experience with embedded Linux and because of the reputation of the NETtel box, Progressive is extremely pleased to enter this development partnership.”

Award-winning partnerships

Because it is targeted to the SOHO market, the Progressive's Systems partnership with Moreton Bay will complement its established partnership with Cobalt Networks, giving Progressive two award-winning Linux hardware platforms for its firewall. Most recently, Cobalt and Moreton Bay received best-of-show and runner-up best-of-show awards respectively at LinuxWorld in Australia, held March 6-10. This recognition within the Linux industry further assures customers of the strength and reliability of Progressive's family of firewall appliances.

About the NETtel

Moreton Bay's open standard-based design, and extensible architecture enables resellers and developers to easily integrate, deploy, and support Internet and server-based applications. The NETtel embedded Linux Internet VPN router provides the core Internet connectivity server and VPN services upon which software developers can build their solutions.

About Phoenix

The Phoenix Adaptive Firewall gives businesses an enterprise-class, network-layer firewall that combines state tracking with anti-attack features to secure network assets. The Phoenix protects networks by performing a detailed inspection of all aspects of incoming packets and distributes them according to rules determined by the network administrators. The firewall also includes anti-attack features that disable networking probe attacks commonly used by crackers and offers secure remote administration through a Java GUI. The Phoenix Adaptive Firewall, the first commercial firewall to support Linux, is the only firewall on the market to be certified by both the ICSA and Linuxcare Labs.

About Progressive Systems Inc. (www.progressive-systems.com)

Progressive Systems, Inc. is a leading vendor of Linux-based network security solutions. Beginning with its initial flagship product, MorningStar PPP, Progressive has been delivering quality security products to the Linux and UNIX communities since 1996. Progressive Systems enterprise-level products are used by customers worldwide who operate mission-critical applications. The company's Phoenix Personal Edition Firewall for Linux may be downloaded for free and is currently deployed by over 20,000 individual Linux users. The Phoenix Adaptive Firewall is available directly from Progressive Systems or its worldwide network of resellers as either an appliance on the Cobalt RaQ 2 and Qube platforms or as software for most commercial Linux distributions, including Caldera, Red Hat, SuSE, and TurboLinux. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Progressive Systems also has offices in San Francisco, CA.

About Moreton Bay (www.moretonbay.com)

Moreton Bay provides innovative communications solutions that ensure secure Internet access and link computer networks and peripherals. The company has been established for three years and has offices in both the US and Australia. Moreton Bay provides embedded Linux appliances and edge network devices that securely and simply interconnect office computers to the Web.

 
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