A Remote Access VPN secures connections for remote users, such as mobile
users or telecommuters, to corporate LANs over shared service provider
networks. There two types of Remote Access VPNs:
-
Client-initiated – Remote users use a VPN client or web browser to
establish a secure tunnel across a public network to the enterprise.
-
NAS-initiated – Remote users dial in to an ISP Network Access Server
(NAS). The NAS establishes a secure tunnel to the enterprise private network
that might support multiple remote user-initiated sessions.
Remote access is targeted to mobile users and home telecommuters. In
the past, corporations supported remote users via dial-in networks. This
typically required a call to access the corporation. With the advent of VPN, a
mobile user can connect to any ISP using dial, cable, or DSL, and connect to
the Internet to access the corporation. This is the evolution of dial
networks.
Remote Access VPNs can support the needs of telecommuters,
mobile users, consumer-to-business extranets, and so on. A Remote Access VPN
can be terminated on head-end devices, such as routers, PIX Security
Appliances, or VPN Concentrators. Remote access clients can include routers,
VPN hardware clients, or VPN software clients
.