Microsoft Direct Access – Edgenexus load balancers and Application Security

What is Direct access server?

Direct Access also known as Unified Remote Access, is a VPN-like technology that provides intranet connectivity to client computers when they are connected to the internet.

It was initially introduced in Windows server 2008 R2 supporting Windows 7 and Windows 8 Enterprise clients .

Direct Access clients are designed to connect automatically as soon as the computer connects to the Internet, initiating a VPN if the client detects that its not connecting from within the network.

Load balancing direct access

Remote access is vital to organisations of any size and any level of downtime is not acceptable. Edgenexus offers 3 key advantages for load balancing a Microsoft Direct Access server environment.

Data center resiliency
Direct Access Server resiliency
Simplification of implementation with NLS

Data center resiliency

The Edgenexus GSLB Global Server load Balancer can load balance client connections to the datacenter using multiple methods such as:

Geolocation – load balance to the closest Datacenter. This can also be used for custom defined networks and locations
Active-Active/ Active- Passive – Spread the load across the data centers based on number of connections or some other health check. Alternatively send all clients to one Data center unless its down (or not meeting health check requirements) in which case sent it to the other data center.

Microsoft Direct Access Server resilience and scalability

Once the connection has arrived at the specific data center the load balancer can then choose what Direct access server to send the request to based on a choice of load balancing methods

Fastest
Round robin
Weighted
Least connections

Simplify DirectAccess Deployment with NLS response

The Edgenexus load balancer when load balancing DirectAccess can either load balance the NLS (Network Location Server) OR in fact act as a NLS (Network Location Server).

By configuring the Edgenexus load balancer to respond to NLS requests the Client will know whether its on the local network or not without the administrator having to provision a separate NLS server.

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Direct access server