Workforce Mobility Increases Demand for Remote Connectivity, Says Yankee Group; Trend is driving enterprises and service providers to invest resources in remote access solutions

Business Wire, Oct 4, 2004

BOSTON -- Although the large majority of remote access deployments are managed in-house, enterprises are increasingly buying and using carrier-managed remote access services, according to the Yankee Group report, Remote Access for the Enterprise. IPsec is the dominant remote access protocol, but SSL-based solutions are on the rise. Most enterprises view these as complementary, rather than competitive. Nearly 45% of enterprises deploying or planning to deploy SSL say it is to extend remote connectivity, while just 21% claim it is replacing IPsec. Several major service providers now offer SSL-based remote access, including AT&T, MCI and Sprint.

"The remote access market will continue to grow at a moderate pace as increasing numbers of mobile users with multiple devices and changing technology affect the way workforces do business," says David Parks, Yankee Group Telecommunication Strategies United States senior analyst. "Enterprises are expanding and migrating their networks to meet the growing demand for remote access with their branch offices, remote and mobile users, and business partners."

The concept of remote endpoint security (REPS) is increasingly important for enterprises' efforts to achieve business continuity, IP protection and regulatory alignment. REPS is supported by a number of niche managed service providers, such as iPass, Fiberlink and GoRemote. A few of the larger carriers, including AT&T and MCI, support REPS as well.

"Network managers are searching for flexible and scalable solutions that enable greater mobility, increased security, higher bandwidth and better performance. Recognizing the complexity of achieving these goals, service providers should capitalize on this opportunity by positioning managed remote access services to enterprises that previously rolled their own solution," says Parks.

THE YANKEE GROUP (http://www.yankeegroup.com)

The Yankee Group is the global leader in communications & networking research and consulting. The company helps businesses understand the opportunities, risks and competitive pressures of developing, deploying and consuming products and services that drive communication or information exchange. Now in its fourth decade, the Yankee Group is based in Boston with offices throughout North America and Europe.