Secure remote access is a "must" for enterprise computing today, and there are options for you to explore in the dynamic current environment.

When much of enterprise IT access has become remote access, it makes sense to give more than a passing thought to secure remote access. While plenty of vendors claim to provide this worthwhile service, what, precisely, is it?  

Secure remote access can include any (or many) of a number of services, from endpoint security to user authentication to VPNs. When looking at products and services that advertise themselves under the broad label of "secure remote access," it's important to know which of these services is being offered.

Aside from the obvious need during the time of social distancing, this is a good time to explore secure remote access because many companies are offering their services at no cost for a limited time. Dark Reading and its sister research company Omdia have been trying to keep track of all the companies offering free products and services now: A frequently updated list can be found here.

This article looks at a few representative products and services from the list, with an eye toward using them to illustrate the possibilities available within the secure remote access category. The list here is not intended to be encyclopedic: For that, look to the link above. It is meant to spur some discussion and thought about which capabilities might make your organization's remote workers a bit more secure when they access corporate assets.

Speaking of the discussion, we'd love to know whether you and your company have used any of the products on the list. Are there other products that you've found to be fundamental to secure remote access in your situation? Let us (and your fellow readers) know in the comment section. We'll look forward to seeing you there.  

(Image: metamorworks via Adobe Stock)

About the Author(s)

Curtis Franklin, Principal Analyst, Omdia

Curtis Franklin Jr. is Principal Analyst at Omdia, focusing on enterprise security management. Previously, he was senior editor of Dark Reading, editor of Light Reading's Security Now, and executive editor, technology, at InformationWeek, where he was also executive producer of InformationWeek's online radio and podcast episodes

Curtis has been writing about technologies and products in computing and networking since the early 1980s. He has been on staff and contributed to technology-industry publications including BYTE, ComputerWorld, CEO, Enterprise Efficiency, ChannelWeb, Network Computing, InfoWorld, PCWorld, Dark Reading, and ITWorld.com on subjects ranging from mobile enterprise computing to enterprise security and wireless networking.

Curtis is the author of thousands of articles, the co-author of five books, and has been a frequent speaker at computer and networking industry conferences across North America and Europe. His most recent books, Cloud Computing: Technologies and Strategies of the Ubiquitous Data Center, and Securing the Cloud: Security Strategies for the Ubiquitous Data Center, with co-author Brian Chee, are published by Taylor and Francis.

When he's not writing, Curtis is a painter, photographer, cook, and multi-instrumentalist musician. He is active in running, amateur radio (KG4GWA), the MakerFX maker space in Orlando, FL, and is a certified Florida Master Naturalist.

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