Tempered Networks Gets HIP in the Cloud

Tempered Networks this week announced it has extended the reach of its software-defined network (SDN) based on the Host Identity Protocol (HIP), a specialized approach to identifying devices that can help lock down connections across clouds including the Internet of Things (IoT).

The latest version of the Identity Defined Networking switch software developed by Tempered Networks can now be deployed on Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud services. Tempered Networks already supports Amazon Web Services (AWS). Tempered Networks also unveiled HIPswitch 75 Appliance, a physical gateway that organizations can use to connect edge devices to the company’s HIP network.

The company has also expanded the number of Linux distributions on which the company’s HIPserver for Linux can run. HIPserver for Linux is now certified to run on Linux distributions from Red Hat, Canonical, and CentOS, as well as on a Linux guest operating system hosted on Windows Server.

Finally, enhanced HIPclient enhancements add user authentication and authorization on top of the HIPclient’s existing device and network authorization functions to create a zero-trust overlay.

HIP networks are most widely used as an alternative to more traditional IP networks in manufacturing and industrial settings where networks need to be locked down.

The primary reason for this is that most IP network nodes are designed to trust everything on the network, says Erik Giesa, vice president of products at Tempered Networks.

“IP networks are promiscuous,” says Giesa. “HIP networks are monogamous.”

HIP networks accomplish that goal by eliminating all occurrences of IP addresses in applications in favor of relying on cryptographic host identifiers.

Because of growing network security concerns, Giesa says adoption of HIP-based smart building and healthcare environments, where there is a requirement for a point-to-point approach to create a software-defined network (SDN), is on the rise. By architectural design, the network is microsegmented in a way that eliminates the need for separate network overlays.

As a networking technology, HIP networks are battle tested. The primary issue that has limited their adoption has been the need for the level of security they provide was generally discounted. But as more organizations become zealously focused on cybersecurity, there may come a day soon when HIP networking finally comes to vogue.