Raven SSL 1.5 for Apache

Raven SSL 1.5 for Apache boasts added support for e-commerce. Covalent Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of Apache Web server e-commerce solutions, announced the availability today of the newest version of its security add-on for Apache, Raven SSL 1.5. Because Apache is the world's most popular Web server with 60% of the market share in the Web server arena, Raven SSL 1.5 will benefit e-businesses throughout the world. New features in Raven SSL 1.5 simplify the installation of the software and make it easier to administer. With added support for third party products such as hardware accelerators from nCipher and Rainbow Technologies, Raven guarantees fast and secure e-commerce transactions.

The new features include:

-- Support for hardware acceleration devices from nCipher and Rainbow Technologies.

-- New graphical user interfaces for installation, certificate management, and module administration along with an improved text based interface.

-- Support for Transport Layer Security (TLS).

"We are pleased to offer our customers this newest release of Raven SSL," said Randy Terbush, Chairman and CTO of Covalent. "We are committed to continually improving our products and offering our customers the latest in technology and usability. With the addition of hardware acceleration support, our customers' sites can run much faster, which is vitally important to today's e-commerce businesses."

Secure data exchange over the Internet requires complex cryptographic calculations. Hardware acceleration devices offload these calculations to a separate processor. When these devices are present, Web shoppers experience fewer slowdowns during peak times. Even small e-commerce sites can become popular overnight. Hardware accelerators provide a way to handle these sudden jumps in demand.

The software's new graphical user interfaces offer customers intuitive, task-oriented tools. "Our customers tell us that one of the hardest parts of implementing a secure Web server is installing it properly," said Dirk-Willem van Gulik, VP of Engineering at Covalent. "Raven 1.5 has both a graphical and text based configuration interface, which guide the customer through the process in simple, clearly explained steps."

Pricing and availability

Raven SSL 1.5 is available for immediate download from Covalent's Web site at www.covalent.net. The full price is $495. Current customers can upgrade to Raven SSL 1.5 for only $149.

About Covalent Technologies, Inc.

Covalent Technologies, Inc, is the leader in e-commerce solutions and secured data applications for the open-source Apache Web server platform. Covalent maintains its role as a founding member of the Apache Project and actively participates in the research, development and administrative efforts of the Apache Software Foundation.

Covalent offers comprehensive commercial support services and develops quality add-on products for the Apache Web server. Customers who want commercial support for Apache can select from a variety of Apache 1st(TM) expert support plans. Raven SSL, Covalent's security add-on for the Apache Web server, is utilized by thousands of customers. Raven SSL provides Web administrators with the tools necessary for safely and securely transferring data over the Internet.

A wide-range of customers have selected Covalent's products, including AT&T, AMD, Federal Express, Harvard University, Hewlett Packard, Lucent, Merck, NASA, Oracle and QUALCOMM. Covalent is backed by H&Q Venture Associates, LLC (www.hqva.com) and their affiliated funds Adobe Ventures and TI Ventures.

More information about Covalent's products and services is available by calling 1-800-444-1935 or visiting www.covalent.net.

About Apache Web server software

Apache, a freely available open-source product, is the most popular Web server software on the Internet. Introduced in 1995, the Apache HTTP Web server was developed through the collaborative volunteer efforts of programmers from around the globe. The Apache Web server now powers over 60% of the world's Web servers-more than double the number of servers using Microsoft's Internet Information Server and a 6.4% increase in market share since October of 1999*. Apache's success is a leading example for other open-source software projects. For more information, see the Apache Software Foundation's Web site at www.apache.org.