Test Centre Briefs: A roundup of hot new products

Kerio Supports iPad With Kerio Connect 7

Kerio was among the first wave of enterprise information technology providers to unveil significant support for Apple's iPad platform. The company said its Kerio Messaging Server would be integrated with the iPad platform via its Kerio Connect 7, a messaging and collaboration server that would support access to e-mail, calendars and contacts on Apple's new tablet device. Kerio Connect will allow for synchronization of personal data, as well as searches for global address book, managing invitations and remote swipe, using Exchange ActiveSync. Kerio Connect also includes CalDAV support.

As with its iPhone platform, iPad provides native Exchange support out of the box--giving vendors such as Kerio an opportunity to leverage the technology with its own third-party products. Kerio Connect includes distributed domain clustering, and provides a "newly implemented" CardDAV protocol for synchronizing contacts with Apple's address book. The product supports Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and is also available as a virtual appliance on VMware and Parallels. Kerio Connect starts at US$450 for five users; additional users start at US$24.

Thales Gives Enterprise Key Management A Boost

Cryptography provider Thales said its new product, nShield Edge, will be able to give enterprisewide cryptography and security a boost by combining two technologies and form factors and delivering greater consistency in key management throughout a network.

The company said nShield Edge is "the world's first FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated USB-attached hardware security module (HSM)." That means the device, which is built to a form factor of 120 x 118 x 27 millimeters, combines the portability of smart cards with the higher-level of security of HSMs--providing an enterprise with the best of both ease-of-use and better protection.

Cryptography and smart cards are increasingly deployed in enterprise scenarios where compliance is a factor, and Thales is aligning nShield Edge with vertical markets including health care, financial, retail and government. The company said the device was built with a form factor that can bring the security technology to remote sites when individuals or workgroups travel for business, or move from one location to another, and even provides for remote authorisation. Pricing was not immediately available.

Lian Li Rolls Out New Mini Towers

Custom-system component provider Lian Li launched a series of ultrasmall PC chassis that it said provides deeper motherboard support than most pieces of hardware. The manufacturer said the PC-Q06 Mini Tower Series supports mini-ITX motherboards on top of the system while protecting components in the case itself. It's designed for IT professionals, overclockers and other power users, according to Lian Li.

Built with a form factor of 205 x 210 x 250 millimeters, the PC-Q06 chassis weighs in at less than 3 pounds (1.2 kg, Lian Li said) and, while supporting mini-ITX form factors, comes with an optional ATX or mini-ATX motherboard tray. The systems are also designed to support heavy graphics cards--a growing factor in the industry for makers of power, custom PCs. Other speeds and feeds: It provides two PCI brackets, supports one standard 5.25-inch drive, a standard 3.5-inch drive and a standard ATX PS/2 power supply unit, with two USB 3.0 and HDA audio ports on-board in the front. Lian Li offers the chassis in red, black or silver.