Face-off: Mobile VPN is a better choice than an SSL VPN

Two industry insiders debate the best VPN approach for mobile users.

Mobile workers face unique challenges and need a VPN designed to address them. SSL VPNs work well for remote workers but take a back seat in mobile and wireless environments.

Mobile workers use wireless WAN (WWAN), Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DSL or cable connections from a variety of locations. They need a solution proven in environments with multiple networks and coverage, latency and speed issues. These are different challenges than those faced by remote workers who access network resources from a fixed location.

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Mobile workers face unique challenges and need a VPN designed to address them. SSL VPNs work well for remote workers but take a back seat in mobile and wireless environments.

Mobile workers use wireless WAN (WWAN), Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DSL or cable connections from a variety of locations. They need a solution proven in environments with multiple networks and coverage, latency and speed issues. These are different challenges than those faced by remote workers who access network resources from a fixed location.

For most companies, the question is not, "Should we go mobile?" but rather, "What is our mobile strategy?" Security is a top concern when developing a mobile strategy. Both mobile and SSL VPNs provide excellent security when configured correctly with standards-based authentication and encryption. However, organizations also must consider the unique challenges associated with mobility.

Mobile VPNs are designed to handle common wireless-network challenges more efficiently than SSL. For example, when roaming from Ethernet to Wi-Fi to WWAN, mobile VPNs handle the transitions transparently with no impact to the application session. If a user hits a coverage gap or suspends a device to preserve battery life, a mobile VPN allows him to resume right where he left off. In the same situation, an SSL user may lose his VPN session, forcing him to log back in and restart applications.