it's not stateful, it wouldn't seem to be worth the effort, although I guess it might help with DDoS attacks.Sounds snake-oilish to me, but I'm biased by lots of experience with firewalls and proxy servers, and the limitations thereof.Ken > -----Original Message----- > From: Rohit Khare [mailto:khare@alumni.caltech.edu] > Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 5:00 PM > To: fork@spamassassin.taint.org > Subject: DataPower announces XML-in-silicon > > > No analysis yet... don't know what to make of it yet. But > here's the raw > bits for all to peruse and check out what's really going on... Best, > Rohit > > =========================================================== > > DataPower delivers XML acceleration device > ByÂ Scott Tyler Shafer > August 27, 2002 5:46 am PT > > DATAPOWER TECHNOLOGY ON Monday unveiled its network device designed > specifically to process XML data. Unlike competing solutions that > process XML data in software, DataPower's device processes > the data in > hardware -- a technology achievement that provides greater > performance, > according to company officials. > > The new device, dubbed DataPower XA35 XML Accelerator, is the > first in a > family of products expected from the Cambridge, Mass.-based > startup. The > DataPower family is based on a proprietary processing core technology > called XG3 that does the analysis, parsing, and processing of the XML > data. > > According to Steve Kelly, CEO of DataPower, the XA35 Accelerator was > conceived to meet the steady adoption of XML, the anticipated future > proliferation of Web services, and as a means to share data > between two > businesses. > > "Our vision is to build out an XML-aware infrastructure," Kelly said. > "The XA35 is the first of a family." > > Kelly explained that converting data into XML increases the > file size up > to 20 times. This, he said, makes processing the data very taxing on > application servers; DataPower believes an inline device is the best > alternative. > > In addition to the large file sizes, security is also of paramount > importance in the world of XML. > > "Today's firewalls are designed to inspect HTTP traffic only," Kelly > said. "A SOAP packet with XML will go straight through a firewall. > Firewalls are blind to XML today." > > Future products in DataPowers family will focus more specifically on > security, especially as Web services proliferate, Kelly said. > > According to DataPower, most existing solutions to offload XML > processing are homegrown and done in software -- an approach > the company > itself tried initially and found to be inadequate with > regards to speed > and security. After trying the software path, the company turned to > creating a solution that would process XML in hardware. > > "Our XG3 execution core converts XML to machine code," said Kelly, > adding that to his knowledge no other company's solution does. Kelly > said in the next few months he expects the market to be flooded with > technologies that claim to do XML processing -- claims that > he believes > will be mostly false. > Other content-aware switches, such as SSL (secure socket layer) > accelerators and load balancers, look at the first 64 bytes > of a packet, > while the XA35 provides deeper packet inspection, looking at > 1,400 bytes > and thus enabling greater processing of XML data, Kelly explained. > > The 1U-high network device has been tested against a large > collection of > XML and XSL data types and can learn new flavors of the > markup language > as they pass through the device. > > The XA35 can be deployed in proxy mode behind a firewall and a load > balancer, and it will inspect all traffic that passes and > will identify > and process those packets that are XML, Kelly said. > > In addition to proxy mode, the device can also be used as an > application > co-processor. This deployment method gives administrators > more granular > control over what data is inspected and the application server itself > controls the device. > > DataPower is not the only company chasing this emerging > market. Startup > Sarvega, based in Burr Ridge, Ill., introduced the Sarvega > XPE switch in > May, and earlier this month Tarari, an Intel spin-off, > launched with a > focus on content processing and acceleration. > The DataPower device is now available, priced starting at > $54,995. The > company has announced one customer to date and says the product is in > field trails at a number of other enterprises. > > ============================================================== > =========== > > DataPower has been addressing enterprise networking needs > since it was > founded in early 1999 by Eugene Kuznetsov, a technology visionary who > foresaw the adverse effects XML and other next generation protocols > would have on enterprise networks. Long before industry > interest in XML > grew, Kuznetsov assembled a team of world-class M.I.T. engineers and > designed the industry's first solutions to address the unique > requirements for processing XML. The first such solution was > a software > interpreter called DGXT. This software-based approach to XML > processing > is still licensed by many companies for use in their own > products today. > > Leveraging the detailed knowledge and customer experience gained from > developing software-based accelerators, Kuznetsov's team > raised the bar > and designed a system for processing XML in purpose-built > hardware. In > 2001, DataPower's effort produced XML Generation Three (XG3â„¢), the > industry's fastest technology for XML processing, bar none. > > Today, XG3â„¢ technology powers the industry's first wire-speed XML > network devices, enabling secure, high-speed applications and XML Web > Services. While other companies are just now marketing first > versions of > products, DataPower is delivering its third generation of technology, > providing an immediate return on technology investments to > industry-leading customers and partners. > > DataPower's M.I.T. heritage is complemented by a management team that > brings decades of experience in the networking and computing > industries, > drawing veteran leaders from several successful companies including > Akamai, Argon, Cascade, Castle Networks, Sycamore and Wellfleet. > > ============================================================== > =========== > > DataPower Technology Secures $9.5 Million in Funding > > Venrock Associates, Mobius Venture Capital and Seed Capital > Back Pioneer > in XML-Aware Networking for Web Services > > CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - July 8, 2002 - DataPower Technology, Inc., the > leading provider of XML-Aware network infrastructure, today announced > that it has secured $9.5 million in series B financing. Investors for > this round include Venrock Associates, Mobius Venture Capital > and Seed > Capital Partners. Michael Tyrrell, of Venrock, Bill Burnham, > of Mobius, > and Jeff Fagnan, of Seed Capital, have joined DataPowerâ€™s Board of > Directors. > > DataPower will use this funding to accelerate development, > marketing and > sales of the companyâ€™s breakthrough technology for XML-Aware > networking. > Founded in 1999, DataPower invented the worldâ€™s first intelligent XML > networkingÂ devices, capable of transforming XML traffic and > transactions > at the wire-speed enterprises need to effectively embrace Web > services > and other XML-centric initiatives. DataPowerâ€™s solutions are based on > its patent-pending XML Generation Three (XG3â„¢) technology. > > "Enterprises are adopting XML at rapid rate to facilitate inter-and > intra-company communications but their network infrastructure is ill > prepared to support the requirements of this new traffic type. > DataPowerâ€™s XML-acceleration devices enable the wirespeed > processing of > XML that is required to support next generation enterprise > applications," said Eugene Kuznetsov, CTO and founder of DataPower > Technology. > > "DataPower gives companies the ability to use XML thatâ€™s > critical to Web > services projects without sacrificing an ounce of > performance." A single > DataPower acceleration engine delivers the processing power of 10 > serversâ€”breaking the performance bottleneck associated with XML > processing and delivering an extraordinary return on investment. In > addition, the DataPower platform provides enhanced XML security, > protection against XML-based denial-of-service attacks, connection of > e-business protocols for incompatible XML data streams, load > balancing > between back-end servers and real-time statistics reports. > > "In the post-bubble economy, technology investment decisions require > laser-focused scrutiny. DataPowerâ€™s patent-pending technology > addresses > a very real and growing pain point for enterprises," said Michael > Tyrrell of Venrock Associates. "By turbo-charging their networks with > DataPowerâ€™s unique XML-Aware networking technology, companies will be > free to adopt next generation Web services without encountering > performance and security pitfalls." > > "We looked long and hard for a company capable of addressing > the rapidly > growing problems surrounding XML message processing performance and > security," said Bill Burnham of Mobius Venture Capital. > "DataPower is on > their third generation of technology. Their patent pending XML > Generation Three (XG3)Â technology was quite simply the single most > compelling technology solution we have seen to date." > > "XML is not a nice-to-have, it is a must have for enterprises serious > about optimizing application efficiency. Since 1999, > DataPower has been > developing solutions to facilitate enterprise use of XML and Web > services," said Jeff Fagnan of Seed Capital Partners. "DataPowerâ€™s > XML-acceleration devices are a key requirement for > enterprises that rely > on XML for mission critical applications." > > About Venrock Associates > Venrock Associates was founded as the venture capital arm of the > Rockefeller Family and continues a tradition of funding entrepreneurs > that now spans over seven decades. Laurance S. Rockefeller pioneered > early stage venture financing in the 1930s. With over 300 investments > over a span of more than 70 years, the firm has an > established a track > record of identifying and supporting promising early stage, > technology- > based enterprises. As one of most experienced venture firms in the > United States, Venrock maintains a tradition of collaboration with > talented entrepreneurs to establish successful, enduring companies. > Venrock's continuing goal is to create long-term value by assisting > entrepreneurs in building companies from the formative stages. Their > consistent focus on Information Technology and Life Sciences-related > opportunities provides a reservoir of knowledge and a network of > contacts that have proven to be a catalyst for the growth of > developing > organizations. Venrock's investments have included CheckPoint > Software, > USinternetworking, Caliper Technologies, Illumina, Niku, DoubleClick, > Media Metrix, 3COM, Intel, and Apple Computer. With offices > in New York > City, Cambridge, MA, and Menlo Park, CA, Venrock is well > positioned to > respond to opportunities in any locale. For more information > on Venrock > Associates, please visit www.venrock.com > > About Mobius Venture Capital > Mobius Venture Capital, formerly SOFTBANK Venture Capital, is a $2.5 > billion U.S.-based private equity venture capital firm managed by an > unparalleled team of former CEOs and entrepreneurs, > technology pioneers, > senior executives from major technology corporations, and > leaders from > the investment banking community. Mobius Venture Capital specializes > primarily in early-stage investments in the areas of: communications > systems software and services; infrastructure software and services; > professional services; enterprise applications; healthcare > informatics; > consumer and small business applications; components; and emerging > technologies. Mobius Venture Capital combines its technology > expertise > and broad financial assets with the industry's best entrepreneurs to > create a powerhouse portfolio of over 100 of the world's leading high > technology companies. Mobius Venture Capital can be contacted by > visiting their web site www.mobiusvc.com. > > About Seed Capital Partners > Seed Capital Partners is an early-stage venture fund affiliated with > SoftBank Corporation, one of the world's leading Internet > market forces. > Seed Capital manages funds focused primarily on companies addressing > Internet-enabled business-to-business digital information technology > opportunities, which are located in the Northeastern U.S., the > southeastern region of the Province of Ontario, Canada, and > Israel. Seed > Capitalâ€™s portfolio includes Spearhead Technologies, > Concentric Visions > and CompanyDNA. For more information on Seed Capital Partners, please > visit www.seedcp.com. > > About DataPower Technology > DataPower Technology provides enterprises with intelligent XML-Aware > network infrastructure to ensure unparalleled performance, > security and > manageability of next-generation protocols. DataPowerâ€™s > patent-pending > XML Generation Three (XG3â„¢) technology powers the industryâ€™s first > wirespeed XML network devices, enabling secure, high-speed > applications > and XML Web Services. Founded in 1999, DataPower is now > delivering its > third generation of technology, providing immediate return on > technology > investments to industry-leading customers and partners. DataPower is > privately held and based in Cambridge, MA. Investors include Mobius > Venture Capital, Seed Capital Partners, and Venrock Associates. > > CONTACT: > > DataPower Technology, Inc. > Kieran Taylor > 617-864-0455 > kieran@datapower.com > > Schwartz Communications > John Moran/Heather Chichakly > 781-684-0770 > datapower@schwartz-pr.com > > ============================================================== > ========== > > Steve Kelly, chairman and CEO > > During over twenty years in the technology industry, Steve Kelly has > built and managed global enterprise networks, provided consulting > services to Fortune 50 businesses, and been involved in the launch of > several start-ups. Prior to DataPower, Kelly was an > entrepreneur-in-residence at Venrock Associates, and was > co-founder of > Castle Networks, where he led the company's sales, service > and marketing > functions. Castle was acquired by Siemens AG in 1999 to > create Unisphere > Networks, which was subsequently purchased by Juniper Networks. Kelly > was an early contributor at Cascade Communications, where he > built and > managed the company's core switching business; Cascade's > annual revenues > grew from $2 million to $300 million annually during Kelly's tenure. > Kelly also worked at Digital Equipment Corporation where he > managed and > grew their corporate network to 50,000+ nodes in 28 countries, the > largest in the world at the time. Kelly has a B.S. in Information > Systems from Bentley College. > > Eugene Kuznetsov, founder, president and CTO > > Eugene Kuznetsov is a technology visionary that has been working to > address enterprise XML issues since the late 90s. Kuznetsov founded > DataPower Technology, Inc. in 1999 to provide enterprises with an > intelligent, XML-aware network infrastructure to support > next-generation > applications. Prior to starting DataPower, Kuznetsov led the Java JIT > Compiler effort for Microsoft Internet Explorer for Macintosh 4.0. He > was also part of the team which developed one of the first clean room > Java VM's. This high-speed runtime technology was licensed by some of > the industry's largest technology companies, including Apple > Computer. > He has consulted to numerous companies and worked on a variety of > hardware and software engineering problems in the areas of memory > management, power electronics, optimized execution engines and > application integration. Kuznetsov holds a B.S. in electrical > engineering from MIT. > > Steve Willis, vice president of advanced technology > > Steve Willis is an accomplished entrepreneur and a pioneer in > protocol > optimization. Prior to joining DataPower, Willis was > co-founder and CTO > of Argon Networks, a provider of high-performance switching > routers that > was acquired by Siemens AG in 1999 to create Unisphere Networks; > Unisphere was subsequently purchased by Juniper Networks. > Before Argon, > Steve was vice president of advanced technology at Bay Networks (now > Nortel Networks) where he led both IP and ATM-related technology > development and managed a group that generated 24 patent > applications, > developed a 1 Mbps forwarding engine and led the specification of the > ATM Forum's PNNI routing protocol. Most notably, Steve was > co-founder, > original software director and architect for Wellfleet > Communications, a > leading pioneer of multi-protocol routers. Wellfleet was rated as the > fastest growing company in the U.S. for two consecutive years > by Fortune > magazine. Willis is currently a member of the Institute of Electrical > and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Internet Research Task Force > (IRTF) Routing Research Group. Willis has a B.D.I.C. in > Computer Science > from the University of Massachusetts. > > Bill Tao, vice president of engineering > > With a vast understanding of network optimization technologies and > extensive experience in LAN and WAN networking, Bill Tao > brings over 25 > years of critical knowledge to lead DataPower's engineering efforts. > Prior to DataPower, Tao was the vice president of engineering for > Sycamore Networks, developing a family of metro/regional > optical network > switches. He is also well acquainted with network optimization > techniques as he was previously vice president of engineering at > InfoLibria, where he led development and software quality assurance > engineering for a family of network caching products. Tao has held > senior engineering positions at NetEdge, Proteon, Codex and Wang. Tao > received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of > Connecticut and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of > Illinois. > > Kieran Taylor, director of product marketing > > Kieran Taylor has an accomplished record as a marketing professional, > industry analyst and journalist. Prior to joining DataPower, > Taylor was > the director of product management and marketing for Akamai > Technologies > (NASDAQ: AKAM). As an early contributor at Akamai, he helped > develop the > company's initial positioning and led the technical development and > go-to-market activities for Akamai's flagship EdgeSuite service. > Taylor's early contribution helped position the service provider to > secure a $12.6 billion IPO. He has also held senior marketing > management > positions at Nortel Networks, Inc. and Bay Networks. Taylor was > previously an analyst at TeleChoice, Inc. and the Wide Area Networks > editor for Data Communications, a McGraw Hill publication. > Taylor holds > a B.A. in Print Journalism from the Pennsylvania State > University School > of Communications. > > ================================================================= > Board of Advisors > > Mark Hoover > Mark Hoover is President and co-founder of Acuitive, Inc., a start-up > accelerator. With over 20 years experience in the networking > industry, > Hoover's expertise spans product development, marketing, and business > development. Before launching Acuitive, Hoover worked at AT&T Bell > Laboratories, AT&T Computer Systems, SynOptics, and Bay > Networks, where > he played a role in the development of key technologies, such as > 10-BASET, routing, FDDI, ATM, Ethernet switching, firewall, Internet > traffic management, and edge WAN switch industries. > > George Kassabgi > Currently Vice President of Engineering at BEA Systems, Mr. > Kassabgi has > held executive-level positions in engineering, sales and > marketing, and > has spearheaded leading-edge developments in the application server > marketplace since 1996. He is widely known for his regular speaking > engagements at JavaOne, as well as columns and contributions > in JavaPro, > Java Developer's Journal and other publications. In addition > to being a > venerated Java expert, George Kassabgi holds a patent on SmartObject > Technology, and authored the technical book Progress V8. > > Marshall T. Rose > Marshall T. Rose runs his own firm, Dover Beach Consulting, Inc. He > formerly held the position of the Internet Engineering Task > Force (IETF) > Area Director for Network Management, one of a dozen individuals who > oversaw the Internet's standardization process. Rose is the author of > several professional texts on subjects such as Internet Management, > Electronic Mail, and Directory Services, which have been published in > four languages. He is well known for his implementations of core > Internet technologies (such as POP, SMTP, and SNMP) and OSI > technologies > (such as X.500 and FTAM). Rose received a PhD in Information and > Computer Science from the University of California, Irvine, in 1984. > >