Print Full Article Print This Page Download the PDF E-Mail This URL

VPN Solutions

Once upon a time, there were no telecommuters. But then, we also used to sit in caves doodling on the walls. Time marches on, and VPNs (virtual private networks) can lower costs and increase the security of remote users connecting into your private LAN. Although you'll need to support and purchase modems, the expense of maintaining a modem pool, renting phone capacity and paying for long-distance charges is history. Still, many of the existing support, integration and management requirements of dial-up will carry over into remote-access VPNs.

We tested VPN gateways from Avaya, Check Point Software Technologies, Cisco Systems and Nortel Networks and gave our Editor's Choice award to Nortel for its Contivity 4600, thanks to the device's superior management interface, simple user and group management, bandwidth provisioning, and extensive operating system support. Cisco's 3030 Concentrator came in a close second, with good group management and the lowest price tag, and earned our Best Value award. The Nortel and Cisco products are the only participants to support the Microsoft Windows 2000/XP native VPN clients in addition to IPsec. Avaya's VSU 7500 would work well in environments that need to deal with multiple simultaneous remote-office connections but has limited troubleshooting and reporting capabilities. Finally, we had mixed feelings about Check Point's VPN-1. While the integrated firewall and automatic client software upgrades are impressive, getting the system operational was like trying to light a fire with two damp sticks.