Laptop Security 24/7

With the proliferation of 3G networks in the United States and globally, more enterprises have started using these wide-area wireless networks to give mobile employees remote access to their intranets using a laptop. That access is a double-edged sword, since it provides return on investment advantages but also security risks.

Virtual private networks have been the principle way enterprise IT departments have kept their intranets secure from intruders. But what happens when the VPN isn’t being used? What if the laptop is stolen, or what happens when the mobile worker launches the browser without using a VPN?

One answer to that was provided earlier this year by Alcatel-Lucent, using technology out of Bell Labs originally under the Project Avros name but now called OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian. The technology was recently taken to market by Sprint Nextel with what the carrier calls SprintSecure Laptop Guardian. It uses a combination of hardware and software to not only provide security around-the-clock but also allow IT departments to manage the laptop itself with over-the-air updates.

The Alcatel-Lucent technology, now can be used with any wireless or wireline network, including 3G, Wi-Fi and LANs. Sprint is using it only for access via its EV-DO network.

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