SSL VPNs on the rise

Infonetics: In a study on VPN hardware and software 80% of the respondents deploying SSL VPNs said they chose SSL because of the increased security it offers.

SSL allows companies to limit user access to a few specific applications or data sources, and does so at the application layer, which is an improvement in security over IPSec. SSL also decreases network downtime, because it can be set up quickly and easily as a disaster recovery solution when other forms of access fail. SSL products that can act as a full replacement for IPSec remote access are available now, and mainstream IT departments now realize they can use SSL for any scenario that currently uses IPSec.

• Security is still the top concern when implementing VPNs, rated as a barrier by 92% of respondents

• SSL use makes strong headway among respondents, going from an average of 21% of users to over a third by March 2008

• VoIP support is moving up the list of important features for VPN products as more and more organizations roll out VoIP and discover compatibility problems with VPNs; for anyone who has already deployed VoIP, or is planning to, this is a critical feature

• VPN/firewall appliances are the most popular devices for deploying VPNs across all size groups and verticals interviewed, followed by router-based products

• Cisco gets the highest marks from users in all categories but pricing in Infonetics’ Vendor Scorecard; Check Point rates second highest for security, and SonicWALL rates highest for pricing and second highest for price-to-performance ratio

• Education and retail respondents come up as cost sensitive in a variety of questions in the study, including what constitutes a strong barrier to implementing VPNs

User Plans for VPN Products and Services, North American Vertical Markets 2006

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