Stephanie Gagnon
Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) should never be exposed directly on the Internet (port 3389). As such, many organizations boost security with a virtual private network (VPN).
However, there are some key problems with this approach:
- VPN servers are notoriously difficult to deploy.
- VPN clients often tunnel all traffic through the private network — which can significantly degrade network performance.
- While the cost/benefit ratio of using a VPN may be acceptable for large corporate networks, it is typically not suitable for small, isolated networks.
Another way to look at this is to say that VPNs are a general-purpose solution applied to a specific problem (RDP), which makes them ill-suited for the job.
Fortunately, there is a practical solution that addresses all of these challenges: Use Devolutions Gateway in conjunction with Devolutions Server and Remote Desktop Manager.
In our new use case (which includes how-to steps), you will discover how this approach:
- Establishes robust security by enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all Devolutions’ Gateway RDP connections.
- Turns complexity into simplicity by replacing a bloated VPN deployment with an easy-to-use, lightweight Devolutions Gateway instance.
- Improves network performance by restricting tunneling to RDP connections, so there is no negative impact on other network traffic.
- Increases functionality and versatility by making secure just-in-time (JIT) RDP access possible without using a VPN. This also enables detailed centralized session tracking and auditing.
Click here to instantly download the Use Case [PDF].
Click here for a full list of Use Cases that are also available for download.
Steven Lafortune
