Security concerns hinder remote LAN access

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- With the advancement of the Internet, the proliferation of laptops and the emergence of wireless access, the definition of the workforce has expanded to include remote work environments. 

According to a recent In-Stat/MDR survey, on average, companies are fairly evenly split between those that allow remote access to the corporate LAN and those that do not, with larger companies more likely to allow remote access compared to smaller ones. The principal reasons stated for not allowing any remote access, whether from home or public locations, were lack of need and security concerns. 

"As is evident in the low adoption rates for public access, providers in this space have several challenges that they must address in order to develop the market," said Amy Cravens, an analyst with In-Stat/MDR. "The biggest challenge is to appease security concerns among corporations as well as develop a broader base of individual subscribers to demonstrate demand for this type of access."

While the public access market, until this point, has largely been supported by individual pay-per-use access, the corporate relationship is critical in this market -- it is a more efficient method to gain high usage levels for fewer marketing dollars and it is a more stable relationship than even individual subscriptions -- and thus catering to business concerns should be top priority for these providers.

In-Stat/MDR's survey also found that:
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Among all respondents, security is the major concern, with 38.1 percent of all panelists that do not allow remote access indicating that security is a primary reason for the company not allowing any type of broadband remote access, whether from home or a public access location.

▪ Among those select few companies that allow public broadband access, hotels are the most popular venues. Airports were the next most popular location.

▪ When questioned as to which type of provider a company is currently contracted with for hotspot access, or would consider contracting with, cellular providers were the top choice among panelists that allow hotspot access.

The report, Managing a Mobile Workforce: Broadband Access Policies for Remote Workers, provides detailed information, gathered in an independent In-Stat/MDR primary research survey, on the expectations and inclinations of IT administrators in regards to broadband remote access services. Subjects discussed include: level of implementation, plans for future implementation, and reasons against implementation. Also discussed are policies shaping where and how business travelers are allowed to access the corporate LAN via remote broadband access. 

In-Stat/MDRoffers a variety of information resources and analytical assets to technology vendors, service providers, technology professionals, and market specialists worldwide. 

In-Stat/MDR is part of the Reed Electronics Group, a division of Reed Elsevier, a global publisher and information provider. With 38,000 employees worldwide, Reed Elsevier operates in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business industry sectors, providing high value and flexible information solutions to professional end users, with increasing emphasis on the Internet.