The Web Challenge

Many companies have a business need to access legacy applications securely from remote locations. SSL VPN seems ideal as the remote access technology with the lowest total cost of ownership. But how exactly does SSL VPN technology provide access to legacy applications?

SSL VPN solves this challenge by using the following two methods: direct access and middleware access.

Direct Access

SSL VPNs can provide direct access to a large variety of applications. Direct access via an SSL VPN may eliminate the need for server-based 'middleware' and other types of remote access systems and associated remote-access clients. Direct SSL VPN access into a trusted network, as shown in the following diagram, provides connectivity to many Web-based intranet applications.

SSL VPN direct access can also provide connectivity to non Web-enabled legacy applications. These applications can exist on AS/400, Windows, Unix/Linux systems, and other types of platforms. Some SSL VPN appliances connect to...