ssl vpn
31 TopicsSSL VPN Split Tunneling and Office 365
UPDATE: Apr 9, 2020 A colleague, Vinicius M. , put together a Configuration guide: Optimizing Office 365 traffic on Remote Access through VPNs when using BIG-IP APM.pdf As we shift to a much larger remote workforce than ever before, additional strains are being placed on the remote access infrastructure of many organizations around the world. Over the past several weeks we have seen organizations adapt quickly, and as it relates to APM, implement split tunneling configurations to specifically allow Office 365 traffic to egress a client's local interface instead of the corporate network via the VPN tunnel. Microsoft publishes their Office 365 endpoints (URLs & IPs) via an API but occasionally they make changes and keeping on top of those changes can be an administrative nightmare. To make the ongoing maintenance of the Network Access Lists / split tunneling configuration as seamless as possible, I’ve adapted a Python script (see GitHubRepo) we commonly use for SSL Orchestrator deployments to fetch Office 365 endpoints and update one or more Network Access Lists. Used in conjunction with iCall, this script will periodically check for and apply updates to your Network Access List(s) without any administrative intervention, allowing you to focus on other mission critical tasks. The script is maintained and documented in this GitHub repository: https://github.com/f5regan/o365-apm-split-tunnel Microsoft has provided us with a statement concerning their recommendations for Office 365 and split tunneling: "Microsoft recommends excluding traffic destined to key Office 365 services from the scope of VPN connection by configuring split tunneling using published IPv4 and IPv6 address ranges. For best performance and most efficient use of VPN capacity, traffic to these dedicated IP address ranges associated with Office 365 Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and Microsoft Teams (referred to as Optimize category in Microsoft documentation) should be routed directly, outside of the VPN tunnel. Please refer to Microsoft guidance for more detailed information about this recommendation." Microsoft’s recommendations have been incorporated into the script published in the aforementioned GitHub repository. See the changelog for details. More Resources In addition to considering how the steps in this article may relieve some strain on your organization’s remote access infrastructure, I’d highly recommend visiting How to optimize SSL VPN connections when BIG-IP is reaching 100% CPU for further guidance on optimizing SSL VPN connections.13KViews7likes19CommentsF5 Access for Your Chromebook
My 5 th grader has a Chromebook for school. She loves it and it allows her access to school applications and educational tools where she can complete her assignments and check her grades. But if 5 th grade is a tiny dot in your rear-view and you’re looking to deploy Chromebooks in the enterprise, BIG-IP v12 can secure and encrypt ChromeOS device access to enterprise networks and applications. With network access, Chromebook users can run applications such as RDP, SSH, Citrix, VMware View, and other enterprise applications on their Chrome OS devices. From an employee’s perspective, it is very easy to get the SSLVPN configured. Log on to a Chromebook, open Chrome Web Store, search for ‘F5 Access’ and press the +ADD TO CHROME button. Add app when the dialogue box pops and F5 Access will appear in your ‘All Apps’ window. Next, when launched, you’ll need to accept the license agreement and then add a server from the Configuration tab: Next, give it a unique name, enter the BIG-IP APM server URL and optionally add your username and password. Your password will not be cached unless that’s allowed by the APM Access Policy. You can also select a client certificate if required. Once configured, it’ll appear in the list. You can also have multiple server configurations if needed: To connect, click the bottom tray bar and select the tile that says, ‘VPN Disconnected.’ And select the server configured when setting up the app. Depending on the configuration, you’ll either get the native login window or the WebTop version: Once connected, there won’t be any indication in the tray but if you click it, you’ll see the connection status in the same VPN area as above and it’ll show ‘connected’ within the F5 Access app: As you can see in the above image, you can also check Statistics and Diagnostics if those are of interest. To end the connection, click the tray again, select the VPN tile and click Disconnect. For administrators, it’s as simple as adding a ‘ChromeOS’ branch off the ClientOS VPE action: Then add a Connectivity Profile to BIG-IP: In addition to generic session variables, client session variables are also available. Check out the release notes and BIG-IP Access Policy Manager and F5 Access for Chrome OS v1.0.0 manual for more info. ps Related: VDI on ChromeBook via APM Chromebooks Gain Traction in the Enterprise Dell brings the Chromebooks to the enterprise1.9KViews0likes0CommentsIn 5 Minutes or Less Video - BIG-IP APM & Citrix XenApp
Watch how F5 customers can now simply use BIG-IP Access Policy Manager or BIG-IP Edge Gateway to consolidate access control in a central location, keeping infrastructure administration concerns to a minimum. With BIG-IP solutions, customers enjoy the flexibility and scalability needed to extend Citrix applications to both local and remote users without changing local XenApp deployments or requiring STA to provide secure remote access to applications. Highlights of deploying Citrix and F5 technologies together include: Reduced Management Time and OpEx – By simplifying and centralizing local and remote access authentication, BIG-IP solutions eliminate the need for customers to add separate Citrix STA infrastructure or make changes to existing Web Interface servers, resulting in an environment that is less expensive to deploy and requires less time to manage. Simplified Configuration and Deployment – With BIG-IP solutions, administrators can support users of Citrix applications with fewer devices, configure deployments to support flexible access models, and easily scale the environment. This fully integrated functionality makes it quick and easy for customers to set up and deploy local and remote access capabilities for Citrix applications, keeping users productive. Centralized and Comprehensive Access Control – Unlike the separate Citrix products required to adequately support applications for remote users, BIG-IP solutions provide centralized application access control and use a single access policy to support all types of users securely, so IT teams can be confident that application access is aligned with the organizations’ specific business priorities and security policies. &amplt;/p&ampgt; &amplt;p&ampgt;ps&amplt;/p&ampgt; &amplt;p&ampgt;Resources:&amplt;/p&ampgt; &amplt;ul&ampgt; &amplt;li&ampgt;&amplt;a href="http://www.f5.com/news-press-events/press/2010/20101214.html" _fcksavedurl="http://www.f5.com/news-press-events/press/2010/20101214.html"&ampgt;F5 Simplifies and Centralizes Access Management for Citrix Applications&amplt;/a&ampgt; &amplt;/li&ampgt; &amplt;li&ampgt;&amplt;a href="downloads.f5.com" _fcksavedurl="downloads.f5.com"&ampgt;BIG-IP v10.2.1 Download (Log in required)&amplt;/a&ampgt; &amplt;/li&ampgt; &amplt;li&ampgt;&amplt;a href="http://www.f5.com/products/big-ip/access-policy-manager.html" _fcksavedurl="http://www.f5.com/products/big-ip/access-policy-manager.html"&ampgt;BIG-IP Access Policy Manager&amplt;/a&ampgt; 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ps Resources: F5 Simplifies and Centralizes Access Management for Citrix Applications BIG-IP v10.2.1 Download (Log in required) BIG-IP Access Policy Manager BIG-IP Edge Gateway F5 YouTube Channel393Views0likes2CommentsBIG-IP Edge Client 2.0.2 for Android
Earlier this week F5 released our BIG-IP Edge Client for Android with support for the new Amazon Kindle Fire HD. You can grab it off Amazon instantly for your Android device. By supporting BIG-IP Edge Client on Kindle Fire products, F5 is helping businesses secure personal devices connecting to the corporate network, and helping end users be more productive so it’s perfect for BYOD deployments. The BIG-IP® Edge Client™ for all Android 4.x (Ice Cream Sandwich) or later devices secures and accelerates mobile device access to enterprise networks and applications using SSL VPN and optimization technologies. Access is provided as part of an enterprise deployment of F5 BIG-IP® Access Policy Manager™, Edge Gateway™, or FirePass™ SSL-VPN solutions. BIG-IP® Edge Client™ for all Android 4.x (Ice Cream Sandwich) Devices Features: Provides accelerated mobile access when used with F5 BIG-IP® Edge Gateway Automatically roams between networks to stay connected on the go Full Layer 3 network access to all your enterprise applications and files Supports multi-factor authentication with client certificate You can use a custom URL scheme to create Edge Client configurations, start and stop Edge Client BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD OR USE THIS APPLICATION YOU MUST AGREE TO THE EULA HERE: http://www.f5.com/apps/android-help-portal/eula.html BEFORE YOU CONTACT F5 SUPPORT, PLEASE SEE: http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/2000/600/sol2633.html If you have an iOS device, you can get the F5 BIG-IP Edge Client for Apple iOS which supports the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. We are also working on a Windows 8 client which will be ready for the Win8 general availability. ps Resources F5 BIG-IP Edge Client Samsung F5 BIG-IP Edge Client Rooted F5 BIG-IP Edge Client F5 BIG-IP Edge Portal for Apple iOS F5 BIG-IP Edge Client for Apple iOS F5 BIG-IP Edge apps for Android Securing iPhone and iPad Access to Corporate Web Applications – F5 Technical Brief Audio Tech Brief - Secure iPhone Access to Corporate Web Applications iDo Declare: iPhone with BIG-IP Technorati Tags: F5, infrastructure 2.0, integration, cloud connect, Pete Silva, security, business, education,technology, application delivery, ipad, cloud, context-aware,infrastructure 2.0, iPhone, web, internet, security,hardware, audio, whitepaper, apple, iTunes2.6KViews0likes3CommentsBYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 5: Trust Model
#BYOD or Bring Your Own Device has moved from trend to an permanent fixture in today's corporate IT infrastructure. It is not strictly an IT issue however. Many groups within an organization need to be involved as they grapple with the risk of mixing personal devices with sensitive information. In my opinion, BYOD follows the classic Freedom vs. Control dilemma. The freedom for user to choose and use their desired device of choice verses an organization's responsibility to protect and control access to sensitive resources. While not having all the answers, this mini-series tries to ask many the questions that any organization needs to answer before embarking on a BYOD journey. Enterprises should plan for rather than inherit BYOD. BYOD policies must span the entire organization but serve two purposes - IT and the employees. The policy must serve IT to secure the corporate data and minimize the cost of implementation and enforcement. At the same time, the policy must serve the employees to preserve the native user experience, keep pace with innovation and respect the user's privacy. A sustainable policy should include a clear BOYD plan to employees including standards on the acceptable types and mobile operating systems along with a support policy showing the process of how the device is managed and operated. Some key policy issue areas include: Liability, Device Choice, Economics, User Experience & Privacy and a Trust Model. Today we look at Trust Model. Trust Model Organizations will either have a BYOD policy or forbid the use all together. Two things can happen if not: if personal devices are being blocked, organizations are losing productivity OR the personal devices are accessing the network (with or without an organization's consent) and nothing is being done pertaining to security or compliance. Ensure employees understand what can and cannot be accessed with personal devices along with understanding the risks (both users and IT) associated with such access. While having a written policy is great, it still must be enforced. Define what is ‘Acceptable use.’ According to a recent Ponemon Institute and Websense survey, while 45% do have a corporate use policy, less than half of those actually enforce it. And a recent SANS Mobility BYOD Security Survey, less than 20% are using end point security tools, and out of those, more are using agent-based tools rather than agent-less. According to the survey, 17% say they have stand-alone BYOD security and usage policies; 24% say they have BYOD policies added to their existing policies; 26% say they "sort of" have policies; 3% don't know; and 31% say they do not have any BYOD policies. Over 50% say employee education is one way they secure the devices, and 73% include user education with other security policies. Organizations should ensure procedures are in place (and understood) in cases of an employee leaving the company; what happens when a device is lost or stolen (ramifications of remote wiping a personal device); what types/strength of passwords are required; record retention and destruction; the allowed types of devices; what types of encryption is used. Organizations need to balance the acceptance of consumer-focused Smartphone/tablets with control of those devices to protect their networks. Organizations need to have a complete inventory of employee's personal devices - at least the one’s requesting access. Organizations need the ability to enforce mobile policies and secure the devices. Organizations need to balance the company's security with the employee's privacy like, off-hours browsing activity on a personal device. Whether an organization is prepared or not, BYOD is here. It can potentially be a significant cost savings and productivity boost for organizations but it is not without risk. To reduce the business risk, enterprises need to have a solid BYOD policy that encompasses the entire organization. And it must be enforced. Companies need to understand: • The trust level of a mobile device is dynamic • Identify and assess the risk of personal devices • Assess the value of apps and data • Define remediation options • Notifications • Access control • Quarantine • Selective wipe • Set a tiered policy Part of me feels we’ve been through all this before with personal computer access to the corporate network during the early days of SSL-VPN, and many of the same concepts/controls/methods are still in place today supporting all types of personal devices. Obviously, there are a bunch new risks, threats and challenges with mobile devices but some of the same concepts apply – enforce policy and manage/mitigate risk As organizations move to the BYOD, F5 has the Unified Secure Access Solutions to help. ps Related BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 1: Liability BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 2: Device Choice BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 3: Economics BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 4: User Experience and Privacy BYOD–The Hottest Trend or Just the Hottest Term FBI warns users of mobile malware Will BYOL Cripple BYOD? Freedom vs. Control What’s in Your Smartphone? Worldwide smartphone user base hits 1 billion SmartTV, Smartphones and Fill-in-the-Blank Employees Evolving (or not) with Our Devices The New Wallet: Is it Dumb to Carry a Smartphone? Bait Phone BIG-IP Edge Client 2.0.2 for Android BIG-IP Edge Client v1.0.4 for iOS New Security Threat at Work: Bring-Your-Own-Network Legal and Technical BYOD Pitfalls Highlighted at RSA265Views0likes0CommentsBYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 2: Device Choice
#BYOD or Bring Your Own Device has moved from trend to an permanent fixture in today's corporate IT infrastructure. It is not strictly an IT issue however. Many groups within an organization need to be involved as they grapple with the risk of mixing personal devices with sensitive information. In my opinion, BYOD follows the classic Freedom vs. Control dilemma. The freedom for user to choose and use their desired device of choice verses an organization's responsibility to protect and control access to sensitive resources. While not having all the answers, this mini-series tries to ask many the questions that any organization needs to answer before embarking on a BYOD journey. Enterprises should plan for rather than inherit BYOD. BYOD policies must span the entire organization but serve two purposes - IT and the employees. The policy must serve IT to secure the corporate data and minimize the cost of implementation and enforcement. At the same time, the policy must serve the employees to preserve the native user experience, keep pace with innovation and respect the user's privacy. A sustainable policy should include a clear BOYD plan to employees including standards on the acceptable types and mobile operating systems along with a support policy showing the process of how the device is managed and operated. Some key policy issue areas include: Liability, Device choice, Economics, User Experience & Privacy and a trust Model. Today we look at Device Choice. Device Choice People have become very attached to their mobile devices. They customize and personalize and it's always with them, to the point of even falling asleep with the device. So ultimately, personal preference or the 'consumerization of IT' notion is one of the primary drivers for BYOD. Organizations need to understand, what devices employees prefer and what devices do employees already own. That would could dictate what types of devices might request access. Once organizations get a grasp on potential devices, they then need to understand each device's security posture. About 10 years ago, RIM was the first technology that really brought the Smartphone into the workplace. It was designed to address the enterprise's needs and for years was the Gold Standard for Enterprise Mobility. Management control was integrated with the device; client certificate authentication was supported; Active Directory/LDAP servers were not exposed to the external internet; the provisioning was simple and secure; organizations could manage both Internet access and intranet access, and IT had end point control. When Apple's iPhone first hit the market, it was purely a consumer device for personal use and was not business centric, like the BlackBerry. Initially, the iPhone did not have many of the features necessary to be part of the corporate environment. It was not a business capable device. It did not support applications like Exchange, which is deployed in many organizations and is critical to a user's day-to-day activities. Over time, the iPhone has become a truly business capable device with additional mechanisms to protect end users. Android, very popular with consumers, also offers numerous business apps but is susceptible to malware. Device selection is also critical to the end user experience. Surveys show that workers are actually more productive when they can use their personal smartphone for work. Productivity increases since we prefer to use our own device. In addition, since many people like to have their device with them all the time, many will answer emails or do work during non-work hours. A recent survey indicated that 80% of Americans work an extra 30 hours a month on their own time with BYOD. But we are much happier. A few blogs ago, I wrote about Good Technology’s BYOD survey, found that organizations are jumping on the phenomenon since they see real ROI from encouraging BYOD. The ability to keep employees connected (to information) day and night can ultimately lead to increased productivity and better customer service. They also found that two of the most highly regulated industries - financial services and health care - are most likely to support BYOD. This shows that the security issues IT folks often raise as objections are manageable and there's major value in supporting BYOD. Another ROI discovered through the survey is that since employees are using their own devices, half of Good’s customers don't pay anything for the employees' BYOD devices – essentially, according to Good, getting employees to pay for the productivity boost at work. As part of the BYOD Policy the Device Choice Checklist, while not inclusive, should: · Survey employees about their preferences and current devices · Define a baseline of acceptable security and supportability features · Do homework: Read up on hardware, OS, and regional variances · Develop a certification program for future devices · Work with Human Resources on clear communication to employees about which devices are allowed–or not–and why ps Related BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 1: Liability BYOD–The Hottest Trend or Just the Hottest Term FBI warns users of mobile malware Will BYOL Cripple BYOD? Freedom vs. Control What’s in Your Smartphone? SmartTV, Smartphones and Fill-in-the-Blank Employees Evolving (or not) with Our Devices The New Wallet: Is it Dumb to Carry a Smartphone? Bait Phone BIG-IP Edge Client 2.0.2 for Android BIG-IP Edge Client v1.0.4 for iOS New Security Threat at Work: Bring-Your-Own-Network Legal and Technical BYOD Pitfalls Highlighted at RSA233Views0likes0CommentsBIG-IP Edge Client v1.0.4 for iOS
If you are running the BIG-IP Edge Client on your iPhone, iPod or iPad, you may have gotten an AppStore alert for an update. If not, I just wanted to let you know that version 1.0.4 of the iOS Edge Client is available at the AppStore. The main updates in v1.0.4: IPv6 Support Localization New iPad Retina Graphics The BIG-IP Edge Client application from F5 Networks secures and accelerates mobile device access to enterprise networks and applications using SSL VPN and optimization technologies. Access is provided as part of an enterprise deployment of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager, Edge Gateway, or FirePass SSL-VPN solutions. BIG-IP Edge Client for iOS Features: Provides accelerated mobile access when used with F5 BIG-IP Edge Gateway. Automatically roams between networks to stay connected on the go. Full Layer 3 network access to all your enterprise applications and files. I updated mine today without a problem. ps493Views0likes0CommentsDreaming of Work
Say What?!? Instead of counting sheep, I can count how many emails I need to answer in the morning? Sure can…at least according to a recent Good Technology survey that indicates that we are working more – an average of 7 hours more per week - but it’s on our own schedule. More than 80% of working adults in the U.S. continue to work when they have left the office adding another 30 work hours per month. Most say it’s to stay organized, but others feel they must due to customer needs and the fact that workers find it hard to switch to off work mode when they get home. Half of us even take the mobile device to bed and answer emails under the covers. Amazingly, over half of those surveyed also noted that there was no argument from the significant other about the additional home-work. The mix of personal and work lives are blurring even more. Our mobile, always-on lifestyle is appreciated by both organizations and workers alike. Organizations see increased productivity while workers like the freedom to get their work done wherever and whenever. Of course, data security is always paramount and John Herrema, Good’s SVP of Corporate Strategy said, “When it comes to supporting a ‘bring your own device’ environment, it’s important to take an approach that ensures data security without compromising the employee's privacy or personal experiences. By shifting their management focus from 'devices' to 'apps' and 'data', enterprises can allow employees to get work done on the go whenever they want, and still keep personal information private, separate and safe.” The study also revealed: 68 percent of people check their work emails before 8 a.m. The average American first checks their phone around 7:09 a.m. 50 percent check their work email while still in bed The work day is growing – 40 percent still do work email after 10 p.m. 69 percent will not go to sleep without checking their work email 57 percent check work emails on family outings 38 percent routinely check work emails while at the dinner table …and the Infographic: ps References: Good Technology Survey Reveals Americans are Working More, but on their Own Schedule 80 Percent Of Americans Spend An Extra Day A Week Working After Hours, New Survey Says Smartphones Add Hours to the Work Week 80% of Americans work an extra 30 hours a month on their own time Device-free Days Off: 3 Tips for Powering Down Work and personal life blend as people stay in the loop while on the go Will BYOL Cripple BYOD? What’s in Your Smartphone? Freedom vs. Control BYOD–The Hottest Trend or Just the Hottest Term187Views0likes0CommentsOde to FirePass
A decade ago, remote VPN access was a relatively new concept for businesses; it was available only to a select few who truly needed it, and it was usually over a dial-up connection. Vendors like Cisco, Check Point, and Microsoft started to develop VPN solutions using IPsec, one of the first transport layer security protocols, and RADIUS Server. At first organizations had to launch the modem and enter the pertinent information, but soon client software was offered as a package. This client software had to be installed, configured, and managed on the user’s computer. As high-speed broadband became a household norm and SSL/TLS matured, the SSL VPN arrived, allowing secure connections via a browser-based environment. Client pre-installation and management hassles were eliminated; rather the masses now had secure access to corporate resources with just a few browser components and an appliance in the data center. These early SSL VPNs, like the first release of F5’s FirePass, offered endpoint checks and multiple modes of access depending on user needs. At the time, most SSL VPNs were limited in areas like overall performance, logins per second, concurrent sessions/users, and in some cases, throughput. Organizations that offered VPN extended it to executives, frequent travelers, and IT staff, and it was designed to provide separated access for corporate employees, partners, and contractors over the web portal. But these organizations were beginning to explore company-wide access since most employees still worked on-site. Today, almost all employees have multiple devices, including smartphones, and most companies offer some sort of corporate VPN access. By 2015, 37.2 percent of the worldwide workforce will be remote and therefore mobile—that’s 1.3 billion people. Content is richer, phones are faster, and bandwidth is available—at least via broadband to the home. Devices need to be authenticated and securely connected to corporate assets, making a high-performance Application Delivery Controller (ADC) with unified secure access a necessity. As FirePass is retired, organizations will have two ADC options with which to replace it: F5 BIG-IP Edge Gateway, a standalone appliance, and BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM), a module that can be added to BIG-IP LTM devices. Both products are more than just SSL VPNs—they’re the central policy control points that are critical to managing dynamic data center environments. A Little History F5’s first foray into the SSL VPN realm was with its 2003 purchase of uRoam and its flagship product, FirePass. Although still small, Infonetics Research predicted that the SSL VPN market will swell from around $25 million [in 2002] to $1 billion by 2005/6 and the old meta Group forecasted that SSL-based technology would be the dominant method for remote access, with 80 percent of users utilizing SSL by 2005/6. They were right—SSL VPN did take off. Using technology already present in web browsers, SSL VPNs allowed any user from any browser to type in a URL and gain secure remote access to corporate resources. There was no full client to install—just a few browser control components or add-on to facilitate host checks and often, SSL-tunnel creation. Administrators could inspect the requesting computer to ensure it achieved certain levels of security, such as antivirus software, a firewall, and client certificates. Like today, there were multiple methods to gain encrypted access. There was (and still is) the full layer-3 network access connection; a port forwarding or application tunnel–type connection; or simply portal web access through a reverse proxy. SSL VPNs Mature With more enterprises deploying SSL VPNs, the market grew and FirePass proved to be an outstanding solution. Over the years, FirePass has lead the market with industry firsts like the Visual Policy Editor, VMware View support, group policy support, an SSL client that supported QoS (quality of service) and acceleration, and integrated support with third-party security solutions. Every year from 2007 through 2010, FirePass was an SC Magazine Reader Trust finalist for Best SSL VPN. As predicted, SSL VPN took off in businesses; but few could have imagined how connected the world would really become. There are new types of tablet devices and powerful mobile devices, all growing at accelerated rates. And today, it’s not just corporate laptops that request access, but personal smartphones, tablets, home computers, televisions, and many other new devices that will have an operating system and IP address. As the market has grown, the need for scalability, flexibility, and access speed became more apparent. In response, F5 began including the FirePass SSL VPN functionality in the BIG-IP system of Application Delivery Controllers, specifically, BIG-IP Edge Gateway and BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM). Each a unified access solution, BIG-IP Edge Gateway and BIG-IP APM are scalable, secure, and agile controllers that can handle all access needs, whether remote, wireless, mobile, or LAN. The secure access reigns of FirePass have been passed to the BIG-IP system; by the end of 2012, FirePass will no longer be available for sale. For organizations that have a FirePass SSL VPN, F5 will still offer support for it for several years. However those organizations are encouraged to test BIG-IP Edge Gateway or BIG-IP APM. Unified Access Today The accelerated advancement of the mobile and remote workforce is driving the need to support tens of thousands concurrent users. The bursting growth of Internet traffic and the demand for new services and rich media content can place extensive stress on networks, resulting in access latency and packet loss. With this demand, the ability of infrastructure to scale with the influx of traffic is essential. As business policies change over time, flexibility within the infrastructure gives IT the agility needed to keep pace with access demands while the security threats and application requirements are constantly evolving. Organizations need a high-performance ADC to be the strategic point of control between users and applications. This ADC must understand both the applications it delivers and the contextual nature of the users it serves. BIG-IP Access Policy Manager BIG-IP APM is a flexible, high-performance access and security add-on module for either the physical or virtual edition of BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM). BIG-IP APM can help organizations consolidate remote access infrastructure by providing unified global access to business-critical applications and networks. By converging and consolidating remote access, LAN access, and wireless connections within a single management interface, and providing easy-to-manage access policies, BIG-IP APM can help free up valuable IT resources and scale cost-effectively. BIG-IP APM protects public-facing applications by providing policy-based, context-aware access to users while consolidating access infrastructure. BIG-IP Edge Gateway BIG-IP Edge Gateway is a standalone appliance that provides all the benefits of BIG-IP APM—SSL VPN remote access security—plus application acceleration and WAN optimization services at the edge of the network—all in one efficient, scalable, and cost-effective solution. BIG-IP Edge Gateway is designed to meet current and future IT demands, and can scale up to 60,000 concurrent users on a single box. It can accommodate all converged access needs, and on a single platform, organizations can manage remote access, LAN access, and wireless access by creating unique policies for each. BIG-IP Edge Gateway is the only ADC with remote access, acceleration, and optimization services built in. To address high latency links, technologies like intelligent caching, WAN optimization, compression, data deduplication, and application-specific optimization ensure the user is experiencing the best possible performance, 2 to 10 times faster than legacy SSL VPNs. BIG-IP Edge Gateway gives organizations unprecedented flexibility and agility to consolidate all their secure access methods on a single device. FirePass SSL VPN Migration A typical F5 customer might have deployed FirePass a few years ago to support RDP virtual desktops, endpoint host checks, and employee home computers, and to begin the transition from legacy IPsec VPNs. As a global workforce evolved with their smartphones and tablets, so did IT's desire to consolidate their secure access solutions. Many organizations have upgraded their FirePass controller functionality to a single BIG-IP appliance. Migrating any system can be a challenge, especially when it is a critical piece of the infrastructure that global users rely on. Migrating security devices, particularly remote access solutions, can be even more daunting since policies and settings are often based on an identity and access management framework. Intranet web applications, network access settings, basic device configurations, certificates, logs, statistics, and many other settings often need to be configured on the new controller. FirePass can make migrating to BIG-IP Edge Gateway or BIG-IP APM a smooth, fast process. The FirePass Configuration Export Tool, available as a hotfix (HF-359012-1) for FirePass v6.1 and v7, exports configurations into XML files. Device management, network access, portal access, and user information can also all be exported to an XML file. Special settings like master groups, IP address pools, packet filter rules, VLANS, DNS, hosts, drive mappings, policy checks, and caching and compression are saved so an administrator can properly configure the new security device. It’s critical that important configuration settings are mapped properly to the new controller, and with the FirePass Configuration Export Tool, administrators can deploy the existing FirePass configurations to a new BIG-IP Edge Gateway device or BIG-IP APM module. A migration guide will be available shortly. SSL VPNs like FirePass have helped pave the way for easy, ubiquitous remote access to sensitive corporate resources. As the needs of the corporate enterprise change, so must the surrounding technology tasked with facilitating IT initiates. The massive growth of the mobile workforce and their devices, along with the need to secure and optimize the delivery of rich content, requires a controller that is specifically developed for application delivery. Both BIG-IP Edge Gateway and BIG-IP APM offer all the SSL VPN functionality found in FirePass, but on the BIG-IP platform. ps Resources: 2011 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SSL VPNs F5 Positioned in Leaders Quadrant of SSL VPN Magic Quadrant SOL13366 - End of Sale Notice for FirePass SOL4156 - FirePass software support policy Secure Access with the BIG-IP System | (whitepaper) FirePass to BIG-IP APM Migration Service F5 FirePass to BIG-IP APM Migration Datasheet FirePass Wiki Home Audio Tech Brief - Secure iPhone Access to Corporate Web Applications In 5 Minutes or Less - F5 FirePass v7 Endpoint Security Pete Silva Demonstrates the FirePass SSL-VPN Technorati Tags: F5, infrastructure 2.0, integration, cloud connect, Pete Silva, security, business, education, technology, application delivery, intercloud, cloud, context-aware, infrastructure 2.0, automation, web, internet323Views0likes0CommentsiDo Declare: iPhone with BIG-IP
Who would have imagined back in 1973 when Martin Cooper/Motorola dialed the first portable cellular phone call, that one day we'd be booking airline tickets, paying bills, taking pictures, watching movies, getting directions, emailing and getting work done on a little device the size of a deck of cards. As these 'cell-phones' have matured, they've also become an integral part of our lives on a daily basis. No longer are they strictly for emergency situations when you need to get help, now they are attached to our hip with an accompanying ear apparatus as if we've evolved with new bodily appendages. People have grown accustomed to being 'connected' everywhere. There have been mobile breakthroughs over the years, like having 3G/4G networks and Wi-Fi capability, but arguably one of the most talked about and coveted mobile devices in recent memory is the Apple iPhone. Ever since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, it has changed the way people perceive and use mobile devices. It's not just the tech-savvy that love the iPhone, it's Moms, Florists, Celebrities, Retailers and everyone in between that marvel at the useful ways iPhone can be used, and for their very own novel purpose. There are literally hundreds of thousands of apps available for iPhone, from the silly and mundane to banking and business. Browsing the web is a breeze with the iPhone with the ability to view apps in both portrait and landscape modes. The ability to zoom and 'pinch' with just your fingers made mobile browsing tolerable, even fun from an iPhone. Shopping from your cell phone is now as common as ordering a cup of coffee - often at the same time! iPhone developers are pushing the limits with augmented reality applications where you can point your iPhone into the sky and see the flight number, speed, destination and other such details as planes fly by. When the iPhone was first introduced and Apple started promoting it as a business capable device, it was missing a few important features. Many enterprises, and small businesses for that matter, use Microsoft products for their corporate software - Exchange for email, Word for documents, Excel for spreadsheets and PowerPoint for presentations. Those were, as expected, not available on the iPhone. As new generations of iPhones hit the market and iOS matured, things like iPhone Exchange ActiveSync became available and users could now configure their email to work with Exchange Server. Other office apps like Documents-to-Go make it possible for iPhone users to not only to view Microsoft Word and Excel documents, but they were able to create and edit them too. Today, there are business apps from Salesforce, SAP and Oracle along with business intelligence and HR apps. Companies can even lock down and locate a lost or stolen iPhone. Business users are increasingly looking to take advantage of Apple iOS devices in the corporate environment, and as such IT organizations are looking for ways to allow access without compromising security, or risking loss of endpoint control. IT departments who have been slow to accept the iPhone are now looking for a remote access solution to balance the need for mobile access and productivity with the ability to keep corporate resources secure. The F5 BIG-IP Edge Portal app for iOS devices streamlines secure mobile access to corporate web applications that reside behind BIG-IP Access Policy Manager, BIG-IP Edge Gateway and FirePass SSL VPN. Using the Edge Portal application, users can access internal web pages and web applications securely, while the new F5 BIG-IP Edge Client app offers complete network access connection to corporate resources from an iOS device; a complete VPN solution for both the iPhone and iPad. The BIG-IP Edge Portal App allows users to access internal web applications securely and offers the following features: User name/password authentication Client certificate support Saving credentials and sessions SSO capability with BIG-IP APM for various corporate web applications Saving local bookmarks and favorites Accessing bookmarks with keywords Embedded web viewer Display of all file types supported by native Mobile Safari Assuming an iPhone is a trusted device and/or network access from an iPhone/iPad is allowed, then the BIG-IP Edge Client app offers all the BIG-IP Edge Portal features listed above, plus the ability to create an encrypted, optimized SSL VPN tunnel to the corporate network. BIG-IP Edge Client offers a complete network access connection to corporate resources from an iOS device. With full VPN access, iPhone/iPad users can run applications such as RDP, SSH, Citrix, VMware View, VoIP/SIP, and other enterprise applications. The BIG-IP Edge Client app offers additional features such as Smart Reconnect, which enhances mobility when there are network outages, when users roaming from one network to another (like going from a mobile to Wi-Fi connection), or when a device comes out of hibernate/standby mode. Split tunneling mode is also supported, allowing users to access the Internet and internal resources simultaneously. BIG-IP Edge Client and Edge Portal work in tandem with BIG-IP Edge Gateway, BIG-IP APM and FirePass SSL VPN solutions to drive managed access to corporate resources and applications, and to centralize application access control for mobile users. Enabling access to corporate resources is key to user productivity, which is central to F5’s dynamic services model that delivers on-demand IT. ps Resources F5 Announces Two BIG-IP Apps Now Available at the App Store F5 BIG-IP Edge Client App F5 BIG-IP Edge Portal App F5 BIG-IP Edge Client Users Guide iTunes App Store Securing iPhone and iPad Access to Corporate Web Applications – F5 Technical Brief Audio Tech Brief - Secure iPhone Access to Corporate Web Applications Is the iPhone Finally Ready for Business Use? iPhone in Business The next IT challenge: Mobile device management Use Your iPhone to See Where Planes are Headed269Views0likes1Comment