[lopsa-discuss] hardware VPN devices for laptops?

[unix fan]

--- "Adam S. Moskowitz" <adamm at menlo.com> wrote:
> unix fan <unix_fan at yahoo.com> replied:
> > I thought the "pure hardware" advantage was
encryption speed.
> 
> That can be one of the advantages, but I love mine
> 'cause it requires
> *no* configuration of my laptop at all! I plug it
> in, point my browser
> at it, login in, magic happens, and I'm connected.

I'm saying the same thing about my SecurID solution
but I'm also saying it tastes great and is less
filling. No unsightly laptop bag bulge, no browser
required, just the tiny VPN client. Other software
solutions (e.g., openvpn) are available that offer a
similar experience.
 
The bottom line for David, it seems to me, is that he
wants something for his user community that does not
result in additional support. I'm saying there are
plenty of VPN client software and software/hardware
hybrid solutions that Just Work(tm). They don't need
to be pure hardware based. The main requirement for
David seems to be "no calls to support".

My user experience:
Prerequisite: 
   I'm already broadband connected, anywhere in the
world, whether a hotel, neighbor's house, "pinching
signal", etc. 

The sequence for me looks like this:
a. Fire up VPN client
b. Key in my SecurID # (the thing I have) and PIN (the
thing I know)
c. Click OK once on the nagware that says I swear I've
kept my virus defs, etc, up to date, I'm authorized,
etc. 

There's *nothing* else to do. No setting
"channel/frequency, speed". I've been granted a DHCP
address and I'm just another plain vanilla device on
the internal net. 

David:
Maybe you can tell us what you currently have that is
causing support calls. 

> it doesn't pass the "fits in your shirt pocket"
> test.
> 
> Mine almost does, if you have a big pocket. It
> easily fits in my jacket
> pocket or in my laptop bag -- and since I need my
> laptop to use it, why
> do I care if it fits in my shirt pocket?
I used it as an example of "small", since that was one
of David's stated requirements. I can, but don't have
to, lug another thing in my laptop bag. I'm convinced
that anything that goes in there is suubject to 3X
normal gravity. 

FWIW, I believe the SecurID solution is something like
$40/SecurID card, but I don't know the infrastructure
costs at the VPN server end.


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