Framework Helps Ensure High Availability for Enterprise J2EE Applications; Provides Tighter Integration With the Sun Java Enterprise System

Tangosol, Inc., leaders in providing solutions to ensure high availability and reliability for large-scale Java™ 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE™) applications, announced the availability of Coherence 2.5™ , a distributed in-memory data management solution for enterprise Java™ technology applications. The release features a new Coherence Security Framework and adds clustered session management support for the Sun Java™ System Application Server, a key component of the open, pre-integrated Sun Java™ Enterprise System. Coherence 2.5 currently supports Sun's Solaris™ 9 Operating System (OS) and the company plans to support the Solaris 10 OS by early 2005.

With its unique in-memory data management solution for fully replicated, cluster-partitioned and near data caching, Coherence is the product of choice for system integrators and corporate IT departments seeking to achieve exceptional scalable performance, remove single points of failure, and optimize their use of OLTP databases and EIS resources.

By adding Coherence Security Framework and JMS Adapter, and by expanding its session management support to additional platforms, Tangosol further broadens the accessibility and security of data in Coherence clustered caches when deployed in more diverse environments, in environments with more stringent security requirements for data access, and in environments in which cached data is accessed through firewalls.

Coherence Security Framework

With the release of Coherence version 2.5, Tangosol introduces an important new level of security to Coherence users, adding another layer of protection for the information assets contained within clustered services and caches. Because of the extreme scalable performance and exceptional high availability being achieved within Coherence-managed clustered server and distributed cache environments, organizations are entrusting their most confidential data to mission critical applications running within that framework. Coherence Security Framework ensures that access to that data is restricted to authenticated users entrusted with proper levels of authorization.

With the Coherence Security Framework function activated, Coherence requires Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) authentication of the user. Once the user's identity is confirmed, a Cluster Access Controller verifies the caller's access rights. Tangosol Coherence provides a default Access Controller implementation that fully leverages the Key Management infrastructure integral to Sun's Java Development Kit (JDK). Custom authorization schemes are also supported by Tangosol. Strong encryption techniques are used in the authentication and authorization processes to prevent a malicious attacker from assuming the identity of a trusted user. Most importantly, the Coherence Security Framework coexists with other installed security management systems to provide essential and fine-grained access control.

"The secure clustering architecture introduced in this release is the result of significant cooperation with several government, military and financial services customers. You can easily imagine their interest in securing their operational environments, trading engines and compliance systems," said Cameron Purdy, President of Tangosol. "We are pleased to have such a robust security system in place, and it truly underscores our commitment to helping our customers sleep soundly at night. Now customers can easily implement cache security mechanisms that ensure authorized and authenticated access to specific Coherence caches based on user permissions using JAAS, preventing access by rogue servers, developers and operators. Most breaches in security – and worst of all those most difficult to prevent and detect – are generated within an organization. Our clustered security system acts as an internal firewall to block even those intrusions in a Coherence-managed environment."

JMS Adapter

The new Coherence JMS Adapter adds the ability for cache clients to connect to the cluster via Java Messaging Service (JMS) when accessing and manipulating data that is being managed by Coherence clusters and clustered caches. This capability is an essential part of a multi-tiered security system in which application tiers are separated by network firewalls.

Coherence*Web clustered HTTP Session Management Support Extended to Include Sun's Java System Application Server

Coherence also includes Coherence*Web, which seamlessly adds high-scale and highly reliable clustering of HTTP Session data to all major J2EE application servers. Coherence*Web delivers linear scale, even up to hundreds of servers, and provides instant and transparent failover while ensuring that HTTP session data is never lost. With the Coherence 2.5 release, the Sun Java System Application Server is added to the extensive list of HTTP session management platforms already supported, including IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic, Jetty, JBoss, Apache Tomcat, Caucho Resin, and New Atlanta ServletExec.

"We are excited to see the portfolio of partner solutions grow for the Java Enterprise System with the support of Tangosol's Coherence*Web for the Sun Java System Application Server," said Jim McHugh, director, Enterprise Software Marketing, Sun Microsystems. "It aligns with our objective of providing enterprises with the tools they need to ensure secure clustering and the high-availability required to implement network services and critical business applications faster, easier, and at a lower cost than ever before, allowing them to focus on innovation, competition, and bottom-line results."

About Tangosol, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Tangosol, Inc. is the industry leader in delivering data clustering, grid computing, and caching solutions to organizations building and running mission-critical enterprise J2EE applications and application components. Major banking, trading, logistics, government, and insurance institutions, as well as technology vendors in the application server, performance management and application security markets rely on Tangosol Coherence software. Through its use, they are able to achieve uninterrupted synchronized coordinated access to their most critical and often-used data at incredible speed, sustained even under the heaviest loads. They also have full assurance that their data will survive intact and remain accessible during intermittent system outages and downtime.

Tangosol's software products are recognized for their unparalleled quality, reliability and ability to provide consistent performance scalability under heavy load. They are actively tested and supported on leading platforms such as BEA WebLogic, IBM WebSphere, Sun Java System Application Server, and on leading server operating systems such as the Sun Solaris Operating System, Linux, IBM AIX, Microsoft Windows and HP/UX.

Contact:
Alex Gleyzer, Tangosol
www.tangosol.com/
agleyzer@tangosol.com
Somerville, MA
(617) 623-5782

Tangosol, Coherence and Coherence*Web are trademarks of Tangosol, Inc.
Sun, Sun Microsystems, Java and Solaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
All other brands and products referenced herein are acknowledged to be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.