A VPN solution must not only be integrated, but also flexibly upgraded and efficient in its operation. Important concepts here are “Return on Investment" (ROI) and Total Cost of Ownership" (TCO). Therefore, the comparison of running operational costs (consequential costs) of a VPN investment with the onetime investment costs.
Installation and operation of particularly complex VPN environments are designed without central management are very time and thereby cost intensive. The rollout costs can quickly surpass the investment costs of a VPN solution. In certain economic areas, e.g. insurance industries with their high staff turnover (25-30% per annum), operation costs often reach astronomical heights.
NCP Secure Communications is a software solution based exclusively upon standards. “Out of the box” can introduce for the investor any desired of already existing client and server hardware. The modular software architecture grants individual upgrade of the central systems and simple updates, also including upgrades to the client software. By minimization of transfer fees and their control, NCP also optimally slices off investment valuation. For this, NCP Secure Communications offers integrated management tools/performance features.
Also, for efficient operation in heterogeneous and special IT environments there is a concern, among others, for compatibility and VPN gateway sharing.
NCP Secure Communications - an overview of the most important features:
Minimization of support costs/Protection against manipulation
Support costs take up a high relative importance under “Total Cost of Ownership” (TCO). It is worthwhile to keep it as low as possible. For network administration this means a preference for certain client configurations from a central place. Parameter blocks hinder subsequent manipulation, whether intentionally or through an accidental operation. Furthermore, the intuitive graphical user interface with error reports in clear text, permits quick fixes for malfunction events.
Minimization of administration costs
The NCP Secure Enterprise Management serves as a single point of administration for all the efficient operations of a VPN required performance features. For example, it shortens the time exposure for rollout, certificate administration and software distribution. Required changes, e.g. with changes in personnel/staff turnover, they are effectively resolved in real time. This disencumbers network administration and leads to massive cost savings.
Integrated personal firewall with central management
All NCP Secure Clients are disposed according to standards over an integrated personal firewall. The expense for evaluation, licensing and installation of a supplemental personal firewall is removed. Administration and maintenance can take place optionally from a central place.
Central Management with Integrated unlimited RADIUS Server
Integrative components of the NCP Secure Enterprise Management is, next to an integrated control and monitoring mechanism, a RADIUS Server. Already available RADIUS systems can be pooled, and thereby be replaced in an economical manner.
Central Management with Integrated unlimited RADIUS Server
Integrative components of the NCP Secure Enterprise Management is, next to an integrated control and monitoring mechanism, a RADIUS Server. Already available RADIUS systems can be pooled, and thereby be replaced in an economical manner.
Intelligent Line Management
It is possible to minimize transmission fees in switch networks by simultaneously maximizing transmission rates. For this, there three coordinated performance features: Bundelling of B channels in the ISDN (independently from data volume, the B channels automatically switch on or off), data compression and local filtering of control data (broadcasts, polling) so that unnecessary conditions are discarded, i.e. existing connections that are unnecessarily maintained for a long time, should not useful data flow through them.
Fees manager
Communications for teleworkers must also be monitored. The NCP Fees Manager offers both control and transparency. The system administration purports certain limits that are monitored in a running operation through connection controls. As limits that can be affixed: Maximum connection time (in days/hours/minutes), maximum number of established connections and fee units. The monitoring timeframe is likewise adjustable. Additionally, it can be configured which actions should be initiated upon reaching/exceeding a limit, e.g. notification upon exceedance, forewarning upon 90% of the maximal value or an automatic connection clearing. The block can be lifted again upon allowance by the administration – also only through them.
Data compression
The integrated data compression works extremely effectively and leads in tarrifed transmission networks to cost savings of up to 25%.
Multi Company Support (VPN Gateway Sharing)
This deals with a particularly efficient VPN solution that comes into being through parallel utilization of a VPN system by several enterprises or deployment in a managed VPN with a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP).
This performance feature is made possible with a single NCP Secure Enterprise Server that administrates the VPN’s of several companies at the same time. For each enterprise, a closed VPN is arranged, upon which only certain users (clients) can access. Gateway sharing makes investment in several individual systems unnecessary.
Managed Security Service Providers can offer their customers a reliable and efficient VPN solution.
Short Hold Mode – Minimizing Transmission Costs in Switch Networks
Flow during an NCP monitored session with no useful data, no connection fees accrue. It is thereby ensured that the teleworker does not have to register completely in order to continue a session on the central VPN gateway. After a pause, he can continue working at exactly the point at which he interrupted his activities. This also functions under “difficult” conditions, for example with operations on decentralized Citrix clients.
The short hold mode completes the required selection and registering procedure automatically in the background. The timeout can be tightly configured or be dynamically controlled by a charge pulse.
Trigger Call (Call Waiting in the D Channel) ISDN / Low-level Call Back
Should the direct connection to the target system be bound by ISDN and not online, an automatic callback is induced through the central VPN gateway to the remote PC via ISDN “Trigger Call”.
The trigger call enables the target system to inform regarding the communication wish, without being online. For this purpose, in the first step a direct free of charge selection via ISDN by means of the features “Call waiting in the D channel” with simultaneous caller ID. After successful monitoring of the sent caller, a return call takes place over the internet and the establishment of a VPN tunnel for secure data exchange. The target system be a remote client, a decentralized gateway (e.g. branch) or the central gateway in the company headquarters.
The NCP Solution supports two callback modes: - Secure callback to a certain (securely given) callback number, e.g. home office
- Variable callback to different (dynamic) return number, e.g. mobile office
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