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New VPN tech challenges old

SSL virtual private networks could sweep the Indian market

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Sanjay K Pillai New Delhi

Rakesh Singh
Are we witnessing the passing of a technological era and the dawn of a new technological era in the virtual private network (VPN) market? That would seem to be the case.

VPNs heralded a totally different era of communication for companies across the world. Among other things, they made communications inexpensive and safe. But two VPN technologies are now confronting each other in the Indian market.

In one corner stands internet protocol (IP) VPNs. In the other is the upstart challenger "� secure socket layer or SSL VPNs, which entered India about a year ago. Round one is on and many rounds lie ahead before either side can deliver a knock out punch. But many would argue that the challenger has the edge.

IP VPNs address 'network-to-network' requirements. SSL VPNs allow remote users to access their corporate resources without being limited by having to access the network only from machines pre-equipped with specialised VPN clients.

Users can access corporate resources by using any web-enabled personal computer, laptop, or personal digital assistant, by going to a designated URL for SSL entry, and logging in, using unique user names and passwords.

Says Sharad Sanghi, CEO, NetMagic Solutions, a company backed by some of the best-known names in the internet world like B V Jagadeesh and K B Chandrashekar, founders of Exodus: " The primary reasons for the proliferation of SSL VPNs are the benefits provided in terms of remote access, and the relatively simplified deployment. VPNs, both SSL and IPSec, have become fundamentally viable because of the burgeoning internet infrastructure all over the world."

Globally, the deployment of both IP VPNs and SSL VPNs has steadily grown. According to a study by In-Stat/MDR, sales of SSL VPNs generated $21 million in 2002, and are slated to reach $1.3 billion in 2007. Sales of IPSec VPNs, having had a significant head start, reached $1.8 billion in 2002, and $2.4 billion in 2003, Frost and Sullivan estimates.

The Indian market is estimated to be a huge market for SSL VPNs, primarily because a roaming user does not have to carry a laptop or notebook with him to be able to connect to the parent network.

Since remote access is possible from any internet-enabled computer with a browser, roaming users can connect from virtually anywhere. As long as the SSL VPN gateway is priced competitively, SSL VPNs should flourish in India.

Says David Appsamy, chief information officer at Sify, one of India's biggest connectivity solution providers: " One of the alternatives to traditional VPN is the SSL-based VPN. This alternative is being tried out in many an enterprise and service provider networks. SSL-based VPN solutions are fairly easy to implement and are slowly gaining acceptance in the industry, even though this is a very small percentage compared to the traditional VPN implementations."

Many argue that SSL VPNs will, over time, win the battle against IP VPNs. Points out Rakesh Singh, general manager, Asia operations, NetScaler: "SSL-VPNs have an edge over IP VPNs because, though robust and secure, IP VPNs have significant limitations. First and foremost, the administrative challenges in rolling out the VPN client software to thousands of remote access users, as well as managing and maintaining the client software or hardware are not trivial. The result is that IT administrators are incurring significant incremental capital and operating costs."

Singh also contends that IP VPN technology has limitations in terms of access flexibility.

"Given the need for client software and hardware, corporate users cannot access key resources from alternative end points, and their access from sites protected by firewalls is limited or in some cases non-existent," Singh adds.

Padmavani, head of human resources at Aventail India, one of the world's first companies to recognise the limitations of IP-based VPNs, cites three reasons for regarding SSL VPNs as being better than IP VPNs.

First of all, SSL VPNs are easier to instal and support, leading to significant cost savings. Secondly, she says, SSL VPNs can extend remote access to a broader range of locations and network resources from more internet-enabled devices. Finally, SSL VPNs provide strong security for remote access.

If companies are switching to SSL VPN, it is also because IT budgets have become tighter. If SSL VPNs do over a period of time make solutions cheaper and far more efficient, they will give IP VPNs makers a run for their money in the remote access VPN market.

Still, long time market watchers point out that IP VPNs will remain attractive to organisations with broader needs than just web-based applications.

Some like Appasamy of Sify swear that the traditional VPN will continue to be picked by companies. The jury is still out on that. Meanwhile, the debate on whether SSL VPNs will drive IP VPNs out of the market continues to rage unabated.

A VPN glossary

  • A virtual private network or VPN offers the use of shared facilities under software control such that it provides the benefits of a private network, including security, continuous availability and reliability.

  • An internet protocol (IP) VPN provides state-of-the-art communications using an internet platform that allows a company to share data, voice and video images with its overseas business group as if it had its own private communication network. It's suitable for today's modern business company which requires fast information exchange 24 hours a day at a low cost.

  • Secure socket layer VPNs are "clientless" "� one need not instal or prepare the client machine used for the session. All the required software is downloaded at session initiation as ActiveX control or a Java applet (depending on whether you are running a Microsoft browser or not). Browser-based SSL alternatives require little or no software on remote PCs.


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First Published: Jun 30 2004 | 12:00 AM IST

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