Chapter 16. Developing a Remote Access Solution

In today's information age, almost every organization requires some form of remote access computing as a normal course of daily business operations. Whether you are in field sales on the road, a telecommuter working from home, a small branch-office manager, or an executive dialing-in from a hotel to gain access to important information, remote access is a critical business function. It is one that is commonplace, and one that is relied upon by all users.

Remote access technologies have matured significantly over the past several years. Today, manufacturers and independent software vendors (ISVs) are developing new remote access technologies to take advantage of Web technology. Some examples include using a Web browser to remotely access systems and network equipment as a way to check status or to configure and manage these devices. No longer do you have to install a "fat" application/client (one from each device vendor) on your local machine only to find that they consume too much of the local computing resources or that they conflict with other applications on your system.

Remote access has become a standard Information Technology (IT) service requirement for all enterprises—large and small. This fact presents many challenges for Information Systems (IS) organizations because they have so many factors and variables to consider and so many product alternatives and implementation approaches to define. Remote access has become a core part of a business's IT environment; users expect it to be secure, reliable, high-performance, and available all the time.

Using Windows 2000 and Active Directory, organizations now have a number of distinct advantages to leverage with regards to remote access. Although Active Directory is a new component of the Windows 2000 product, adding more features and complexities to consider than prior versions had, much of the capabilities required to create a flexible and manageable RAS are built-in. IT decision makers should take comfort with Windows 2000's remote access capabilities because it enables IS managers and architects, who are struggling with the challenges of remote access, to design and implement a tailored solution that meets their specific business requirements.

This chapter presents a strategy that can be used to develop a RAS based on Windows 2000 Active Directory. It explores the specific technologies that Windows 2000 employs for remote access, and it discusses remote access alternatives and considerations for Active Directory.