The furniture factory "Maria" increases efficiency of mobile employees through DirectAccess

Thanks to DirectAccess implementation users began to address less in technical support service. The internal corporate network works steadily due to reservation of resources of the server with means of the Microsoft Windows Server platform, and an error probability from users (loss of the password, failure in the PC settings and so forth) it is minimized.

• Situation: Identity, Security and Access Management of the Device, workplace, servers Personal performance of software and service
• Решение: Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows 7 Enterprise Microsoft Direct Access
• Advantages: Now the company considers the possibility of use of DirectAccess for connection to corporate network of small remote branches. Besides, if necessary the number of the mobile users who got permission to access to corporate resources during the office trips or from the house can be increased.

For service of DirectAccess in Maria company the selected virtual server was created. Power of special allocate circuit is enough for maintenance of the comfortable access level of all mobile employees.

Situation

Because branches of the company are distributed across the extensive territory, heads of the top and average management spend a lot of time in business trips, organizing and controlling sales process. Some employees spend the most part of working hours in traveling, coming to office once a week. As a rule, all of them use notebooks, and an opportunity in any conditions to save a usual working environment in full — to start all necessary applications, to work with the general files and resources of an internal corporate portal is necessary for them.

Earlier for the organization of remote access of users in the company the virtual VPN private network organized by means of Unix FreeBSD was supported. With transition to the Microsoft platform, implementation of the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system and installation at Windows 7 workstations of the version of Enterprise the company had an opportunity to use for support of internal network the most modern, reliable and convenient tool — DirectAccess.

Solution

The DirectAccess technology completely automates connection of personal computers to corporate servers and provides secure access of users to internal network on normal Internet channels, without the need for connection with VPN network.

DirectAccess has no user interface for workstations as employees should not address it directly — this technology is basic and is implemented at the level of the operating system. Rules of access are configured by IT specialists on the Windows server.

For service of DirectAccess in Maria company the selected virtual server was created. Power of special allocate circuit is enough for maintenance of the comfortable access level of all mobile employees.

Now DirectAccess use about 30 employees of furniture company "Maria" working in Moscow and in Saratov — they have the right to remote access to corporate resources and are included in the special group created by system administrators in the Active Directory directory.

Advantages

The DirectAccess technology is extremely easy-to-customize also use. In case of VPN the user needed to receive the parallel VPN login at the system administrator, to configure connection on the PC and to execute an input in VPN network at each turning on of the computer. DirectAccess exempts from these inconveniences: the employee included by the administrator in DirectAccess user group should not perform any excess operations, and access to internal network is provided automatically at detection of any Internet connection.

Thanks to DirectAccess implementation users began to address less in technical support service. The internal corporate network works steadily due to reservation of resources of the server with means of the Microsoft Windows Server platform, and an error probability from users (loss of the password, failure in the PC settings and so forth) it is minimized.

Many Internet service providers in Russia and abroad impose own restrictions for use of the ports necessary for work with VPN network. Availability of connection in specific hotel, office or the airport therefore employees who went to a business trip, were not sure that they will manage to be connected to corporate network depends on these restrictions and to use its resources. The DirectAccess technology uses IPv6 protocol which does not give in to blocking. It gives to the user confidence that he will be able to be connected to internal network in the presence of any Internet connection and to work not less effectively, than at office.

When using VPN connection to the employees it was necessary not only to undergo once again authorization after turning on of the computer, but also every time again to enter the login and the password upon transition to the new page of an internal corporate portal. It significantly complicated their work. DirectAccess does not require separate authentication, for access check Windows account is used. Work of users is organized is also transparent as though they did not go beyond corporate network.

Use of DirectAccess appeared to useful and those employees whose work is not connected with long business trips. Many of them refused the stationary working PC for benefit of the portable notebook as it allows them to perform urgent tasks of the house or to continue work during the office trips around the city. At the same time it is not necessary them, leaving office, to complete the work of all applications in the workplace, and later to enter into network again and to load them again. Now it is enough to close the notebook and to take it with itself, and after a while, having opened it again, to continue work from that place on which it was interrupted, having saved connection to corporate network.

"A key word at the description of DirectAccess technology — transparency. Earlier all mobile employees who even are not trained technically had to understand the basic principles of the VPN organization correctly to execute an input in network and to work with corporate resources. The DirectAccess technology provides to users the most friendly environment, and they freely use this tool, even without thinking of features of the organization of IT infrastructure. DirectAccess is good the fact that it is absolutely imperceptible for users and therefore does not cause any difficulties in them, and advantages of its use are obvious" - Gavva Andrey, the head of department of the IC of the company "Furniture factory "Maria"

Prospects

Now the company considers the possibility of use of DirectAccess for connection to corporate network of small remote branches. Besides, if necessary the number of the mobile users who got permission to access to corporate resources during the office trips or from the house can be increased.