Jabber Loosing to race to Microsoft Lync

[clayostlund]

In trying to compare Jabber to Microsoft Lync to customers, one glaring issue we cannot yet over come is that Microsoft Lync has an "Edge Server" so users can use Lync without a VPN connections from anywhere over SSL.

jabber on prem we cannot do this.  WebEx Connect Jabber obviously works this way.  We need the ability to have an "Edge" server.  If it were an ASA service like all of the other services that would be great.

Anyone else see this issue?           

[sbommaji]

Clay,

I believe Cisco has a better secure solution than Microsoft. As you mentioned the solution does work with ASA as well as ISRG2 Routers to provide what we call Secure BYOD

The Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client makes the VPN experience simpler and more secure with enhanced remote access technology. It provides an always-on VPN experience across the industry’s broadest array of laptop and smartphone-based mobile devices, including iOS®, Android®, BlackBerry, and Microsoft Windows Mobile® platforms. The Connect on Demand VPN feature allows a user to automatically establish a VPN connection to On Premises services when using public networks. This helps simplify the experience.

-Sunil

[clayostlund]

Yeah, Anyconnect is really not the solution people are looking for here as it's just "Another Step".  For example, Cisco already offers the remote user type of useage with Jabber Video via the VCS Expressway server.  No VPN is required and you can connect from anywhere.  We are really missing the boat here.

[sbommaji]

Clay,

Good point. Cisco is aware of this and looking into a VPN less solution called collaboration edge. Timing is TBD at this point.

[sbommaji]

Clay,

I would like to point out that clientless VPN solutions would require that you place hte servers in the DMZ, outside of hte firewalls. There are some inherrent risks with this solution although I agree that it is simple to delpoy.

For example, with Microsoft, you have an Exchange Server, a SharePoint Server, and a Lync Server all on the network edge – providing an expanded attack surface for hackers. Imagine the case in which a security vulnerability is found with a particular cryptographic protocol. How many servers do you have to update with a Microsoft solution? With the VPN solution, there is only one.

Having said that, please wait for collaboration edge solution as pointed out above.