Remote connections come in a couple of flavors: individual users connecting to the network from a mobile device such as a laptop or a BlackBerry or aggregate users in a branch location. In both cases, the issues are similar: IT managers have to provide a way to sustain the connection, make sure that only authorized users are on it, and protect the data that’s zipping back and forth.

But those tasks are complicated, and busy IT staff have plenty to do for onsite users. How can you simplify remote connections for mobile users?

Connect With Ease

Mobile users have to install software on their devices in order to connect remotely. Some companies use a piece of client software for that purpose, but this approach also requires users to install that client. One way to avoid that complication is to use a Java applet in the server that is downloaded to the user’s device when he uses a browser enabled for Java.

“By eliminating the need to install that software, you’ve removed a potential source of complication,” says Tim Naramore, chief technology officer at Masergy (www.masergy.com), a networking company in Plano, Texas. “With a Java applet that lives in the browser, you don’t have to install it on the computer or update it.”

You can also simplify user connections by having them use only one remote connection manager. Laptops often have multiple managers installed, and troubles with one manager working when the other doesn’t can lead to support calls and frustrated users. “You can simplify that by sending users to a single connection interface that uses a single connection manager,” says Chris Clark, chief operating officer for Fiberlink (www.fiberlink.com), a provider of software and services for mobile workers. “The configurations are often complex and require additional configuration, which the user may or may not be aware of. This is also a challenge at hotels and airports, with continually evolving standards and variable access in different locations. Signal strength and location details also complicate connections.”

Protect The Connection

Authentication protects the network from unauthorized remote users, while encryption protects the data those remote users are sending and accessing. With both, you can take action before a user ever connects to keep these necessary protections as simple as possible.

Authentication is simpler and easier when you know who is accessing the network remotely. An inventory of all your remote users or an analysis of the log data for remote connections will tell you how many users are accessing the network. It will also tell you if any of those users rarely or never connect remotely. “If you take a look at the logs, you might find a lot of users who have the ability to connect but whose use of that ability is rare,” says David Berman, senior manager of solutions marketing for ActivIdentity (www.actividentity.com). “Maybe it’s reasonable to shut those users off or to offer them temporary remote access when it’s really needed.”

You can take this same approach to the data and applications that users are allowed to access remotely. Not every database or application needs to be accessible remotely, and it makes sense to consider beforehand which data can be protected by encryption and what data shouldn’t be accessible at all. “It can simplify matters to have fewer applications available through remote access, but it won’t unless you have a consistent policy,” says Glenn Moore, director of product and channel marketing for ANXeBusiness, a provider of managed network services (www.anx.com). “Don’t just let people access whatever is on the network remotely, but don’t make a lot of exceptions to your policy.”

Simplify Usage

No matter how simplified remote connections are, users are going to add complication by using all kinds of devices—BlackBerrys, netbooks, laptops, iPhones—to access those connections. That means a choice on the part of IT: support all devices or create rules that users don’t like? “The biggest complaint we hear from IT managers is that they spend a lot of time on the phone helping less knowledgeable workers connect,” says Moore. “You can require users to use only company-issued devices for remote access. You will get fewer support calls that way, and it will make it easier to make sure that your tech support people can help remote users when they have problems.”

If that option isn’t available, more education for users can sometimes translate to fewer calls. A little training for end users on how to connect remotely and troubleshoot problems can go a long way, and so can job aids such as wallet cards and quick start guides. This could take the form of a Web page of support information, frequently asked questions, and other helpful information for remote users on the company’s main Web site.

Finally, familiarity is your friend. “Once people are connected, they like to feel productive, and the interface should look and feel as much like they’re working in the office as possible,” says Moore. “The interface should be very intuitive and have little or no learning curve with working remotely.” If you’re evaluating interfaces from vendors, he suggests, ask about how to get connected and what it looks like, especially any differences in how the applications will work, such as speed, latency, and look and feel.

by Holly Dolezalek