Comment Article
ComputerWeekly – Evolution of internet protocol virtual private
network
Many organisations today operate in complex,
distributed environments that encompass
multiple branch offices spread across diverse
geographical locations, some of which may be
subsidiaries or affiliated companies. For most of
these, access to centralised IT resources is a
must. And they also need to provide access to
those IT resources for an expanding army of
mobile workers and for external users. Remote
access has become a fact of life.
To provide secure remote access to employees -
and increasingly to business partners, suppliers
and users – virtual private networks (VPN) have
emerged as the technology of choice. The
majority of VPN deployments are one of two
flavours. Secure socket layer (SSL) VPNs require
just an internet browser for setting up a VPN
connexion and are an effective remote access
solution for large numbers of remote and ad hoc
users.
However, SSL VPNs generally work best with
web-enabled applications. For client-server or
highly customised applications, such as most in-
house user relationship management systems,
application programming interfaces must be
written, which is an expensive undertaking. And
they cannot be used for peer-to-peer
applications that are coming into greater use,
allowing more effective collaboration.
The other main alternative is an internet protocol
security (IPSec) VPN, most commonly used for
office-to-office connexions, such as a branch
office connecting to headquarters, or for a small
number of trusted users accessing the corporate
network. The advantage of IPSec VPNs is that
they can provide access to any type of
application running on the network and can give
a user the same experience as if they were
physically located in the main office.
The disadvantage is that they have traditionally
required that a software agent be installed on
every endpoint connecting to the network and
that administrators configure each device
© 2008 Quocirca Ltd http://www.quocirca.com
By Fran Howarth, Principal Analyst, Quocirca Ltd
separately by visiting each remote site. This
made them costly and complicated to manage -
especially in large, complex deployments.
To address these issues, IPSec VPN suppliers
have added features and functionality to their
products in recent years, aimed at easing
management issues, beefing up security, and
expanding coverage to a wider range of
communications mechanisms, devices and
computer operating systems. This has resulted
on a new generation of more advanced IPSec
VPN products coming onto the market.
According to its users, one of the forerunners
among those suppliers is NCP Secure
Communications of Germany. MAN
Nutzfahzeuge, a supplier of trucks, buses, diesel
engines and industrial machinery, has been a
long-term client of NCP, but surveys the market
every year to evaluate products offered by other
VPN suppliers. It has been unable to find another
product that offers the breadth of functionality of
NCP's technology, which it defines as a suite of
products.
And that is an accurate description. NCP's
enterprise-class products offer powerful
centralised management capabilities that provide
one single point of administration for creating,
distributing and configuring user profiles, digital
certificates and software updates without the
need to physically visit each device under
management to install software agents. This
considerably cuts down on the number of
administrative resources required to implement
and maintain deployments, as well as reducing
costs.
For MAN, this is something of vital importance
since it uses NCP's technology for providing
access to central IT resources for facilities
throughout the world, including remotely
managed servers for affiliated companies. The
centralised management server also interfaces
with a wide array of backend systems, including
an integrated remote authentication dial-in
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 Comment Article
service (Radius) server for authentication and
access control of users.

Enhanced security features include the provision

of network access controls (NAC) for ensuring
endpoint security for all devices under
management, making certain that all devices
conform with security policies, including mobile
devices. All security parameters set are locked
so that they cannot be changed by users and
security controls are enforced by a personal
firewall for every endpoint connecting to the
network.

The high levels of security are not lost on NCP's

clients. For DATEV, a co-operative that develops
software applications and provides IT services to
tax consultants, auditors and lawyers, security
was a key factor in its decision to license NCP's
technology owing to the robust levels of
professional confidentiality that are required for
it to comply with Germany's strict Tax Advisory
Act. In proving such compliance, the full logging
and reporting capabilities that are included in
NCP's VPN platform are a must.

One other differentiator of NCP's technology

among those mentioned by its clients is the
broad device and technology support that is
offered out of the box, including a wide range of
operating systems, devices and communications
methods. VR Netze, which provides data
processing and IT services to co-operative banks
throughout Germany and abroad, says that NCP
is the only supplier that it could find offering
support for Windows XP and Vista operating
systems in the 64-bit versions, as well as for
Linux and a wide range of mobile operating
systems. It also appreciates that NCP future-
proofs its technology, adding support for new
technologies when they come onto the market.

With a 21-year heritage and a clear focus on the

remote access market, NCP is one of the
industry's best kept secrets, best known in its
core German-speaking markets. But that is
changing. It can boast a substantial number of
international clients, many of them
multinationals, and is now setting its sights on
the world stage by engaging with an extended
range of partners. Any organisation looking for
remote access management expertise would do
well to include NCP in its evaluations.

© 2008 Quocirca Ltd http://www.quocirca.com +44 118 948 3360

 Comment Article

About Quocirca
Quocirca is a primary research and analysis company specialising in the business impact of information technology
and communications (ITC). With world-wide, native language reach, Quocirca provides in-depth insights into the
views of buyers and influencers in large, mid-sized and small organisations. Its analyst team is made up of real-
world practitioners with first hand experience of ITC delivery who continuously research and track the industry
and its real usage in the markets.

Through researching perceptions, Quocirca uncovers the real hurdles to technology adoption – the personal and
political aspects of an organisation’s environment and the pressures of the need for demonstrable business value in
any implementation. This capability to uncover and report back on the end-user perceptions in the market enables
Quocirca to advise on the realities of technology adoption, not the promises.

Quocirca research is always pragmatic, business orientated and conducted in the context of the bigger picture. ITC
has the ability to transform businesses and the processes that drive them, but often fails to do so. Quocirca’s
mission is to help organisations improve their success rate in process enablement through better levels of
understanding and the adoption of the correct technologies at the correct time.

Quocirca has a pro-active primary research programme, regularly surveying users, purchasers and resellers of ITC
products and services on emerging, evolving and maturing technologies. Over time, Quocirca has built a picture of
long term investment trends, providing invaluable information for the whole of the ITC community.

Quocirca works with global and local providers of ITC products and services to help them deliver on the promise
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© 2008 Quocirca Ltd http://www.quocirca.com +44 118 948 3360