* AEP SSL gear will sport full IPSec VPN functions by September
AEP Systems leapt into the Secure Sockets Layer remote access arena last year with two bold promises: equipment that is half the price of competitors’ and that by March it would have functionality that supports all applications that IPSec VPNs offer.
The company has so far met one of the goals – it has been shipping a $5,000 device since February – but the IPSec VPN functionality has now been pushed back till September.
SureWare A-Gate has been shipping since February. And with a price tag of $5,000, it is – for the sake of argument – ballpark half the price of some competitors’ equipment.
In September, AEP expects to ship A-Gate Central, which would be a software upgrade for SureWare A-Gate. The upgrade would enable the device to support SSL access that is as complete as an IPSec VPN. Initially, the equipment would access Web enabled applications but not client-server applications.
What happened to cause the delay is what happens to a lot of vendors. When they get into a problem, they realize it is a little more complicated than they thought. Interacting with Windows platforms and with the server end of client-server applications took more time than the company originally thought it would. So the company got a little excited and promised the features too soon.
Because AEP is based in Ireland and is still rolling out its business in North America, it probably still has time to deliver that functionality. Its sales strategy is to sell through value added resellers and integrators and those relationships are still being set up. And the interest in this type of product is still growing, so there is still time although the window is shrinking.
Another thing that may help is that AEP is trying to sell to small and midsized businesses. Such enterprises may be interested in trying the technology because they have yet to install any remote access gear. They may also be attracted by the competitive price point and the fact that the equipment is simpler to set up than an IPSec VPN.
When the new software comes out this fall, the company will also introduce a new hardware platform that can be mounted on a rack rather than a desktop. It will also boost the processing power as well as the price.
Even so, small businesses looking to launch secure, flexible remote access and that are keeping an eye on spending may want to take a look. Keep an eye on that September deadline.
