Bellevue, WA — (press release) — GoAhead Software announced the release of GoAhead WebServer 2.1, the latest version of GoAhead's available-source, royalty free, standards-based embedded webserver software. WebServer 2.1 supports embedded Linux applications.

According to International Data Corporation, there will be more than 42 million devices connected to the Internet by 2002. Embedding a Web server gives manufacturers access to their devices even after they are shipped. GoAhead claims that its WebServer is the only available-source embedded Web server currently on the market. It provides a secure, flexible and free way to access remote devices and appliances via standard Internet Protocols.

“With GoAhead WebServer 2.1 we've made it even easier for developers to incorporate an embedded Web server into their products,” said Corinne Bergmann, director of product management at GoAhead. “Version 2.1's improved security and other enhancements provide manufacturers and service providers easy, secure access to information about devices deployed in the field.”

GoAhead WebServer 2.1 now includes support for Secure Socket Layering (SSL), a protocol created by Netscape Communications Corporation for authentication and encryption over TCP/IP networks. Specifically, the product supports RSA Security Inc.'s SSL implementation, which allows developers to seamlessly integrate RSA BSAFE SSL and encryption services into GoAhead WebServer once they have purchased a license from RSA.

“Security is one of the most important issues when sending device information over the Internet,” said Scott Schnell, senior vice president of marketing at RSA Security. “We are pleased to be working with GoAhead to provide encryption services that add value to GoAhead's Web server.”

In addition to supporting SSL, GoAhead WebServer 2.1 now supports digest access authentication (DAA). DAA is an authentication scheme for HTTP that is more secure than the basic authentication scheme because passwords are never transmitted in an unencrypted form. Another major enhancement in version 2.1 is improved documentation, which contains architecture diagrams and updated API information. Version 2.1's other new features include user management, which allows different users different levels of access, and a standard CGI implementation.

GoAhead WebServer 2.1's new features were made possible in part through the active developer community that has emerged in support of the product. More than 500 developers download GoAhead WebServer source code each month. GoAhead WebServer supports Linux, along with a number of other operating systems. Support for GoAhead WebServer is available through a collaborative Usenet newsgroup, news://news.goahead.com, in which GoAhead is an active participant. The source code is currently available for download from GoAhead Software's website, located here.

[Editor: GoAhead's source license may be viewed here. Note that it is not a GPL license, and contains certain restrictions and requirements that differ from the “normal” open-source model.]

About GoAhead Software, Inc.

GoAhead Software is a provider of off-the-shelf service availability software for Internet infrastructure devices and servers. Service availability software is a unique approach to reliability management that enables communications devices and servers to be self-reliant — dependable, available and easy to use. GoAhead solutions maintain service availability for Internet users, accelerate time-to-market for equipment manufacturers and Website operators, and reduce equipment and site support costs. The privately held company was formed in 1995 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.

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