* Netifice latest announcement stems from Aventail VPN services acquisition
Netifice Communications is adding a managed SSL VPN service to its offerings.
The service has the touted advantages of buying SSL remote access gear vs. IPSec remote access VPN gear in that it requires no client software in order to allow access to at least some corporate resources. With the download of an agent, it can support virtually all business applications.
The announcement stems from Netifice’s purchase of Aventail’s VPN services business earlier this year for an undisclosed amount. The business came with a 120 existing corporate customers as well as deals with providers that sold managed SSL VPN services supported by Aventail staff. These include AT&T, BT Spain, IBM Global Services. Infonet, MCI and Sprint.
Now Netifice is looking for new customers of its own who might be interested.
Netifice Managed SSL VPN includes recent updates to Aventail’s underlying platform, which is still sold separately by Aventail. Among these is Smart Tunneling, which lets customers set policies based on Layer 4 through 7 criteria but connect to the network via a Layer 3 tunnel. The recent upgrade also includes support for IP address resolution between similarly numbered private IP networks.
Netifice makes the reasonable suggestion that customers could use its SSL services for remote access and its IPSec VPN service for site-to-site connections. Of course, other WAN options such as frame relay or MPLS or even dedicated circuits might fit individual customer’s needs better, but having a single provider cover WAN and remote access may be an attractive convenience.
