Virtual private networks (VPNs) are the technologies most widely used by organizations today in the provision of remote access to their networks for employees, business partners and suppliers. Of the VPNs available, IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) VPNs provide the most complete remote access solution, although they have traditionally been seen as costly and difficult to deploy.
The essential elements of secure remote access.without the management headaches Contacts:
Fran Howarth Virtual private networks (VPNs) are the technologies most widely used by organisations today in the Quocirca Ltd provision of remote access to their networks for employees, business partners and suppliers. Of the VPNs Tel +31 5691 1311 available, IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) VPNs provide the most complete remote access solution, fran.howarth@quocirca.com although they have traditionally been seen as costly and difficult to deploy. A new generation of IPSec VPNs, which can enable organisations to gain a centrally managed and high security remote access Bob Tarzey solution without the administrative burdens and overheads generally associated with IPSec VPN deploy-Quocirca Ltd ments, is now emerging.Tel +44 1753 855794bob.tarzey@quocirca.com . Remote access is now a fact of life, but is not always easy to administer or manage.Although VPN technologies have evolved as the solutions of choice for achieving remote access needs, SSL VPNs can be limited in their capabilities for achieving full remote access and IPSec VPNs have traditionally had large management and administrative overheads associated with them as they relied on the manual installation of software agents on each device under management.
. Next-generation IPSec VPNs streamline the management headaches associated with deployments in large complex environments. By providing centralised management capabilities, next-generation IPSec VPNs automate the proc-esses associated with the administration, management and maintenance of VPNs through provision of one single point of administration.
. IPSec VPN implementations can help organisations to improve their security procedures and achieve regulatory compliance objectives, such as data protection. Market-leading IPSec VPNs are supplied with powerful personal firewalls that handle security set-tings, preventing users from tampering with the security controls that have been set. They also enable checks to be made on the security levels applied to each endpoint under management and can enforce Research Note: that the correct security tools are deployed on each machine, according to set security policies. This report has been written independently by Quocirca . Security is only as good as the weakest point.Ltd to address certain issues As the number of technology systems in use in an organisation proliferates, including databases, en-found in today's organisa- terprise directories, operating systems and devices that allow mobile networking, the ideal IPSec VPN tions. The report draws on solution should provide coverage for a wide range of systems and devices in use today-as well as Quocirca's extensive knowl- extending coverage to new forms of technology as they emerge and come into everyday use. edge of the technology and business arenas, and provides . Full logging and reporting capabilities help organisations to tie all actions to the identity of the advice on the approach that user performing those actions to prevent data leakage. organisations should take to By automating those processes involved in deploying, managing and maintaining IPSec VPNs, all create a more effective and events can be logged and suitable reports can be communicated to management and used for security efficient environment for audits-especially where strong authentication is used to tie the user of a device to their identity. future growth. During the preparation of this CONCLUSION: VPNs have emerged as the leading technology for achieving remote access, with report, Quocirca has spoken IPSec as the leading choice for providing access to the full range of applications in use by organisations to a number of suppliers and today. However, implementing IPSec VPNs in a large, complex environment has been viewed as an customers involved in the expensive management headache. The next generation of IPSec VPN technologies move towards solving areas covered. We are grateful this through centralised management, high levels of security and automation of all the processes involved. for their time and insights. This makes them easier to manage and reduces the overall cost of ownership of such technology imple-mentations dramatically.
An independent study by Quocirca Ltd.www.quocirca.comThe essential elements of secure remote ... [download for more]
