SSL VPN: A Historical Background
To fully understand the business value of SSL VPN (and why it delivers certain benefits better than alternative technologies) it is wise to understand what factors influence the value of a remote access solution in general as well as how SSL VPN figures into the overall picture and history of remote computing.
We begin with a discussion of how and why SSL VPN came to be and the way it evolved. Early remote access was typically achieved using one of two methods: Direct modem-based dial up or leased lines.
1. Direct modem-based dial-up: Users would connect to an organization by dialing (using a modem connected to their computers) a phone number belonging to the host office. Dialing this number connected the user to a modem bank at the site to which he wanted to connect. This type of access allowed users to connect from anywhere—as long as the user had access to a computer and modem (and perhaps some special software installed on the computer as well), and had...
