Remote access is key to disaster recovery

Bangalore: If a disaster recovery plan does not include



remote access, “business as usual” is virtually impossible, warns business

continuity expert Tim Clark, partner with The FactPoint Group, in a new white

paper on the subject.






The goal in disaster recovery is to keep core business functions operating under
all circumstances. Attributing reasons, Clark says “remote access is the key to

disaster recovery because typical business disruptions keep employees and other

users away from the office and the local area network (LAN).”






“The inability to operate normally or provide access to critical resources can
hurt revenue, damage a company's reputation, or mar the corporate brand,” says

Clark. “This is why it's so important for enterprises to anticipate and plan for

potential disasters, and why responsibility for disaster planning requires the

involvement and commitment of both technology and business sides of an

organization.”






According to the paper, one technology that has emerged as the leading solution
for remote access is SSL VPNs because of their inherent security, granular

access controls and ease of use. With an SSL VPN, all users can access network

resources from any Web-enabled system.






The specific benefits of an SSL VPN for disaster recovery are outlined:





· SSL VPNs are clientless


· They work from any Internet browser


· They operate at the application layer (not the network layer)


· SSL VPNs enable fine-grained access controls


· They have strong end point security


· SSL VPNs provide strong encryption





To meet the requirements of a disaster recovery plan, the SSL VPN must also be
able to scale quickly and easily, advises Clark. With a disaster, whether

something as critical as the avian flu or something as basic as a snow storm,

the number of remote users can instantly spike by the hundreds or thousands. The

solution should have adequate capacity plus failover capability to ensure it can

handle the increased traffic and have no downtime.






SSL VPN market leaders, such as


Aventail, are making it easier for companies to get ready for such spikes.

Earlier this month, Aventail launched its Spike License Pack, which works like

an insurance policy toward any future eventuality requiring an instant increase

in remote users.






In addition to being an ideal part of a company's overall disaster recovery
plan, the Spike License also works for companies that experience seasonal

spikes, such as accounting firms during tax season or retailers during the

holidays.






To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, “The Remote Access Imperative
in Disaster Recovery” by Tim Clark of the FactPoint Group, go to:



http://www.aventail.com/disasterrecovery.