Novell has unveiled a SuSE Linux-based soft appliance designed to protect businesses against security threats from hackers, viruses, worms and spam.

The company said that its Novell Security Manager, which is powered by security software from network security firm Astaro, features six perimeter security applications with an integrated management platform.

The applications include firewall, virtual private network gateway, intrusion protection, virus protection, spam protection and content filtering.

Novell claimed that the web-based common management platform provides a single installation, management and reporting tool.

The vendor pointed out the advantages of using a Linux-based appliance. "An active community responds to security holes with quick patches, and access to the source code enables modifications, providing an extremely stable and secure platform," said Novell.

Jan Hichert, chief executive at Astaro, added: "Our Linux-based approach provides customers with enterprise-class security that protects their organisations from all external threats."

Novell Security Manager is available starting at $315 for a single server plus 10 device licences. Gateway server licences that support larger numbers of devices are also available.