OpenReach, which offers security services direct to enterprise users and wholesale to other service providers, has a new VPN solution that simultaneously supports both IPSec and SSL remote access. Called OpenReach AnyWhere, the service promises to decrease the cost of offering VPN services for service providers by as much as 50 percent.
“The help desk costs of VPN have been killing service providers,” Mark Tuomenoksa, chairman and founder at OpenReach. “So we decided that for some segments of market SSL might be better – there’s no client software to load, it just uses your browser.” LECs that offer VPN are primarily focused on the small and medium business market, notes Tuomenoksa. “But as you go down market the sophistication of user diminishes,” he says, “so there are more help desk calls. So improving operational efficiencies is important.”
IPSec provides highly secure remote access to any IP-enabled application but requires special purpose software for individual PCs. SSL, meanwhile, provides secure remote access to browser-based applications like e-mail and intranets as well as file sharing but uses standard web browsers rather than requiring additional software, which dramatically reduces deployment and maintenance costs. However, SSL provides moderate security compared with IPSec and supports access to fewer IP applications.
Depending on an enterprise's needs, one or both solutions may be appropriate. For example, a broadly distributed sales force that needs access to e-mail, file shares, and the corporate intranet is well suited to an SSL-based solution with strong authentication, but without overhead of additional security software for the PC. On the other hand, human resources and finance personnel who need access to custom-built databases or client-server resources require IPSec for its broad application support and advanced security features.
The OpenReach solution enables enterprises and service provider customers to leverage both IPSec and SSL using a single infrastructure.
“We’re the only solution with SSL that can provide it at lower than $500 per location,” says Tuomenoksa. Typically customer premises-based gateways to terminate sessions alone cost $30,000 each, says Tuomenoksa. RBOCs, which might charge about $10 month per user for their services, could never get past capital costs in light of that investment, he says. “But we put SSL on top of everything else so they can amortize,” he says. “We deliver in one box a firewall, a router, VPN, SSL remote access, [IPSec], as well as an integrated DSL modem for $500.” And the box can be configured remotely from OpenReach’s remote network operations center, he says.
OpenReach AnyWhere is slated to become generally available in August.
