Two technology companies are helping corporate users embrace XML-based information while ensuring the security and integrity of the messages that come into their systems.

Quadrasis and Tarari Inc. this week will each introduce so-called XML firewalls that will offer businesses ways of inspecting XML messages before they enter their systems.


An XML firewall acts like a traditional firewall in that it intercepts traffic and makes redirection or transformation decisions based on policies, but it can also look inside messages, parse the XML content, and make security and routing decisions.

Rich Salz, principal engineer at DataPower Technology Inc., in Cambridge, Mass., said the XML firewalls are crucial for Web services.

"As organizations increasingly make themselves open to XML traffic, they're going to want to be able to filter or otherwise validate it—and do that 'the XML way,'" Salz said. But, he added, "to really succeed, vendors will need hard-core XML expertise."

Quadrasis, a division of Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc., of Waltham, Mass., this week is rolling out Quadrasis/Xtradyne SOAP Content Inspector, software that inspects and secures Simple Object Access Protocol messages and enables enterprises to take Web services outside their networks. Quadrasis developed the technology in cooperation with Xtradyne Technologies AG, of Berlin.

Full Article: eWeek