There are two critical barriers for deploying XML Web services – security risks and performance bottlenecks. DataPower Technology's XS40 XML Security Gateway 3.0 is designed to help enterprises overcome both and for that reason, it nabs the Gold Award.

The XS40 is a drop-in hardware device typically deployed alongside load balancers. It acts as a secure XML Web services proxy and access policy enforcement point in front of the application servers.

To secure XML Web services, the XS40 boasts its own patented XML processing engine, called the XG3 and its own XML encryption and digital signature implementation. Other key features noted by our expert judges are that the XS40:

• Encrypts/decrypts and signs/verifies within SAML messages
• Supports traditional security, e.g. SSL
• Integrates with other access control and identity policy servers
• Maps to protect backend systems
• Offers centralized policy administration

This product scored particularly high in the ease-of-use category. One customer said, "As for the transition, it was painless. We were up and running in less than a day."

The XS40 XML Security Gateway 3.0 was released in June, 2004. List price is $65,000 with volume discounts available.

Catherine Ketcher