Secure remote access

Secure remote access solutions are maturing quickly, and IT leaders today have plenty of choices. There are basically two types of solutions: virtual private networks and shared computing solutions. The traditional VPN, from vendors like Cisco, Juniper and Checkpoint Software, allow authenticated remote users to appear to be on their local headquarters' networks and have the same types of access that they would have if they were plugged into the local Ethernet in the office wall.

A newer and more flexible type of VPN is one based on secure sockets layer (SSL) connections. Leading vendors in this area include Juniper, F5 Networks and Aventail. SSLs don't require any client software outside of a Web browser, so they are useful for times when users find themselves at Internet cafés or on other public computers that are out of the reach of the IT department. Another option is in terminal server products. Leading vendors in this area include Microsoft, SSH Communications and Citrix. A computer runs a special operating system that turns a Windows PC into a multi-user environment. Remote users are just sent screen images and keyboard commands, cutting down on the amount of data that needs to be transmitted across a slower-speed link.

The last solution is Web-based remote access. This involves using a remote-control application from leading vendors such as LogMeIn and Citirx/GoToMyPC to send screen images and keyboard commands across the link, just like terminal servers. Instead of connecting into a central server, the remote access users are doing one-to-one connections to a specific desktop computer that is running the host version. All that is needed on the remote end is a browser, just like the SSL VPNs.

Learn more about secure remote access options:
- read the article at CIO Update

ALSO: read this on how Microsoft tackles remote access security