BOScom's New Remote Access Server Fills Backup Role

by Alex Woodie

BOScom recently announced it is shipping a new remote access server (RAS) designed to provide remote workers with additional access to AS/400 and iSeries LANs when their primary Internet service is down. BOScom's new RAS, called the LANLynk, includes an integrated firewall and Windows-based management software, and allows remote Windows-based PCs to connect to an AS/400 or iSeries LAN using analog modems or ISDN cards at speeds of up to 115 Kbps.

Considering the stability of OS/400 servers and the relative flakiness of many Internet service providers (ISPs), it is more likely that remote workers will be unable to access an OS/400 server because of a local ISP being down than an AS/400 or iSeries being offline. BOScom, a division of Better On-line Solutions, developed the LANLynk to provide dial-up access to remote users.

The LANLynk can be used by telecommuters and home workers and can even provide an alternative connection to LAN resources for remote or local workers if the standard IP connection is lost. "Many companies are interested in this type of solution as they focus on disaster recovery," says Martin Pladgeman, president of BOSaNOVA, the North American distributor of BOScom products.

BOScom says setup time is kept to a minimum with the LANLynk, which features Windows-based management software that supports simple network management protocol (SNMP) and can be used to configure the device remotely. The RAS can be configured in a matter of minutes, the company says. The LANLynk features auto-recognition capabilities for 200 types of modems, and supports drivers for 200 more. The software can manage up to 1,000 separate dial-up user accounts.

The LANLynk includes security and authentication features designed to protect a company's OS/400 resources. Its firewall lets administrators set up IP address filters and disable certain ports to restrict access to OS/400 resources, or even shut down all access except from a handful of predefined IP addresses. The RAS also features password encryption, optional or mandatory callback functions, and an auto-disconnect feature that shuts down a connection after a user has been idle for a certain period of time.

For higher security, users can offload user authentication from the LANLynk to a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server. RADIUS is an authentication and accounting specification used by many ISPs.

BOScom is currently shipping two versions of the LANLynk. The two-port version can provide simultaneous connections for two dial-up modem or ISDN accounts, and costs $1,400. The six-port model costs $1,800. Both are rack-mountable devices with a 1U form factor, and support Windows 95, 98, NT, Me, 2000, and XP desktop operating systems.

The LANLynk is being sold through BOSCom's new distributor, BOSaNOVA. For more information, go to www.bosanova.com.

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