All Alteon switches also have a Layer 4 filtering feature that gives administrators the ability to allow, deny or redirect traffic. The ACEswitch 180s we tested were capable of maintaining 224 different filters. Each filter is based on source and destination IPs, protocol type and application source and destination port. For example, Filter 1 will always be processed first. Any traffic that passes through this filter is subject to any other filters assigned to that port beginning with 2, then 3 and so on.
Administrators can filter various traffic types, adding security to a Web cluster or network.
And for further security, filters can generate syslog messages. By the time you read this column, many of the questions racing through my mind probably will have been answered, but I'm guessing the answers will not be satisfactory. I am writing this on Tuesday, September 11, the day we, as American citizens, lost our innocence. Due to the tragic events within our country, The Network Computing Shoot Out and Best of Show Awards ceremony have been postponed until a later date. Please check back for information on revised event dates.