AEP Network's Netilla Security Platform offers several choices for authentication of SSL VPN clients. These include NT Domain, Active Directory, LDAP, Radius, Vasco, Kerberos and local database.
The appliance includes a firewall and network-address translation feature.
The device we tested shipped with two interfaces which were separately IP addressed and used in a way to make the Netilla Security Platform a router. The appliance provides support for most common applications, which includes most thin client programs such as X-Windows and 3270 mainframe access.
The installation of the Netilla Security Platform was exceedingly difficult because the interface was not logical and the administration application was buggy. It took several tries and a call to technical support to change the system's IP address and default route.
It was never clear which pane or tab the administrator should be working under in order to configure the correct part of the device.
The only part of the administration which made logical sense was the initial network system configuration. Several times we received an internal server error page when trying to configure the device. Using the interface effectively took us the longest time of all products tested, at over two hours to allow for a remote user login.
The Netilla Security Platform arrived with a printed quick-start guide that attempts to walk the administrator through the entire installation process from start to finish. However, the document is different from the interface and adds as much confusion as help in the initial setup of the device.
As with other products, we recommend that the administrator read the document from start to finish before beginning the configuration. Additional manuals such as the administration guide are included as PDFs on the accompanying CD.
AEP Networks offers around-the-clock telephone, email and web-based support. The latter includes an extensive knowledge base and a technical documentation library containing administrator manuals, application notes and video-based how-to guides; as well as software downloads.
The price for the Netilla Security Platform is £1,330 and, considering the features contained in the appliance, we think that this represents better than average value.