Windows 7 for the Enterprise: DirectAccess Enhances Mobility and Manageability

 

DirectAccess Enhances Mobility and Manageability

Help Mobile Users Get More Done

Working outside the office is about to become a lot simpler. DirectAccess in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 enhances the productivity of mobile workers by connecting them seamlessly and more securely to their corporate network any time they have Internet access—without the need to VPN. When IT enables DirectAccess, the whole corporate network file shares, intranet Web sites, and line-of-business applications can remain accessible wherever you have an Internet connection.

Manage Remote Machines More Effectively

Without DirectAccess, IT administrators can only manage mobile computers when users connect to a VPN or physically enter the office. With DirectAccess, IT administrators can manage mobile computers by updating Group Policy settings and distributing software updates any time the mobile computer has Internet connectivity, even if the user is not logged on. This flexibility gives IT the opportunity to service remote machines on a regular basis and ensures that mobile users stay up-to-date with company policies.

Enhance Security and Access Control

As well as authenticating the computer, DirectAccess can also authenticate the user and supports multifactor authentication, such as a smart card. IT administrators can configure which intranet resources specific users can access using DirectAccess. To keep data safer as it travels public networks, DirectAccess uses IPv6-over-IPsec to encrypt communications transmitted across the Internet. DirectAccess can use split-tunnel routing, which reduces unnecessary traffic on the corporate network by sending only traffic destined for the corporate network through the DirectAccess server (running Windows Server 2008 R2), or IT can choose to send all traffic through the corporate network.

Windows 7 for the Enterprise: The Optimized Desktop