Do you crave remote access, but lack the manpower to implement it? Are you required to support protocols such as AppleTalk and IPX over your dial-up links, but disinclined to outsource your dial-up needs? Then you may be a prime candidate for a remote-access server from the group of nine we tested in one of our Real-World Labsý at Syracuse University. Though small, these servers adequately support up to 100 users. Calculated with an industry average ratio of 12 users to one port, this translates to approximately eight dial-up ports per 100 users.

To view the Report card.Besides measuring throughput, we rated a host of other features, including intuitive management, logging and accounting, leverage of third-party applications, such as RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) and SNMP, and ease of use. One-click configuration for multiple components (such as modems), easy user configuration and support for existing network applications all reduce the time it takes to configure the server.

Before you buy a remote-access server, be sure it will support your network needs now and in the future; lack of support for network protocols, strong authentication and network services may hinder your ongoing remote-access support. In addition, the server should support existing user databases, such as NT Domains and Novell's NDS, so you won't need to manage two user databases. None of the devices we tested supports native NDS, but the ACC, Hayes, Meridian and Perle Systems products support NetWare Bindery. Only two products--Compaq Computer Corp.'s Remote Access Server 5208 and Perle's 833 Remote Access Server--support native NT Domains. Attachmate Corp.'s RLN Access Server is the only product in the group that doesn't support RADIUS.

Taking top honors in our tests are Meridian's Waymark, Shiva Corp.'s LanRover 8E/PLUS and Multi-Tech Systems' MiniArrayIII. Each offers excellent management and configuration features, good logging and reporting capabilities, intuitive interfaces and top-notch performance. ACC's Mississippi, Hayes' Century 2008, Attachmate's RLN Access Server and Compaq's Remote Access Server 5208 exhibited acceptable functionality and feature sets, but they weren't as robust as the top tier. Neither were Perle's 833 Remote Access Server and Zoom Telephonics' Zoom/Access 8, which also fell short in features and performance.

Meridian Waymark

Meridian's Waymark successfully combines an extensive set of features with unparalleled ease of use. It costs $714 per port--and it's worth every penny. Excellent reporting, a wide range of authentication services, including its proprietary authentication system, and ease of installation and management helped it earn our Editor's Choice award.

Waymark's exceptional reporting and accounting capabilities are built into its GUI--an advantage for workgroups that require accounting capabilities but lack the resources to install and manage a RADIUS server. The accounting reports generate fully customizable reports. In the lab, we successfully tracked start and stop times and bytes transferred in and out. Waymark can combine the accounting reports across multiple devices for a single report. And you can filter the output for highly customized reports, highlighting specific areas of use. After running some tests, we generated a report on specific ports to see how they performed and which user was logged on. The reports produce logs you can filter by event severity, from debug messages to major errors. The only kink in Waymark's reporting is its lack of automation.