Difference Between Microsoft DirectAccess and VPN
Microsoft DirectAccess and VPN are two technologies that are very popular among IT professionals. Each of them is used to access intranet connectivity through the internet. They are often mistakenly confused to be the same technology solution. However, this is not the case. Despite the similarities that they possess, there are numerous differences between them.
Microsoft DirectAccess vs VPN
The main difference between Microsoft DirectAccess and VPN is that Microsoft DirectAccess automatically starts functioning as soon as the user connects his computer to the internet. On the other hand, the functioning of VPN needs to be manually started and stopped by the user whenever he is connected to the internet.
Microsoft DirectAccess has a very similar architecture as VPN. It also serves a similar purpose. People use it to access the intranet whenever they are connected to the internet. However, DirectAccess is a much newer technology in the market. It facilitates secure and authenticated connections, that too automatically on connecting to the internet.
Meanwhile, VPN is a much older technology as compared to the former. It serves a similar purpose but needs to be turned on and off whenever someone needs to use it. Due to this, it is more time consuming and complex. Despite this, VPN is way more expensive than DirectAccess.
Comparison Table Between Microsoft DirectAccess and VPN
| Parameters of Comparison | Microsoft DirectAccess | VPN |
| Version | It is a newer version. | It is an older version. |
| Functionality | It functions automatically on being connected to the internet. | It needs to be turned on and off every time by the user. |
| Security | It has better security features. | It does not have as many security features. |
| Uses | It is generally used to facilitate secure remote access for IT managed devices. | It is generally used to facilitate secure remote access for non-IT managed devices. |
| Price | It is budget-friendly. | It is more expensive. |
What is Microsoft DirectAccess?
Microsoft DirectAccess also commonly goes by the name ‘Unified Remote Access’. Essentially, it is a very similar technology to VPN. It is used to connect devices to the intranet when they log on to the internet. However, DirectAccess is a much newer version and has many features that traditional VPNs do not have.
One of the most stand-out features of Microsoft DirectAccess is that starts functioning automatically as soon as the user connects to the internet. Due to this, a lot of time and manual labour is saved. This in turn leads to higher efficiency and productivity.
The first version of Microsoft DirectAccess was made for Windows Server 2008 R2. This was targeted towards clients in large corporate environments who used Windows 7 and Windows 8. There were many upgrades made to this technology, through which its deployment became much simpler. Moreover, it became one of the most secure technologies in the market.
One of the most beneficial features of Microsoft DirectAccess is that it can be used for multiple sites at the same time. Moreover, this can be done at a very cost-effective and budget-friendly price. However, one drawback of this technology is that it can be only used for IT managed devices. This means that it is not as flexible.
What is VPN?
VPN is an acronym for ‘Virtual Private Network.’ It allows users to have a private network while using a public one. This means that the user can now send and receive information while acting as if the device is connected to the private network directly. By doing this, the security and management of the network can be done much more easily.
However, unlike Microsoft DirectAccess, the functionality of VPN is not automatic. It needs to be turned on and off by the user every time it is used. This must be done while the device of the user is connected to the internet.
VPN does have many other drawbacks when compared to Microsoft DirectAccess. One of the most major ones is that even though it is more expensive, it is not as efficient. Moreover, it involves relatively more manual labour which makes it more complex and time-consuming. This can be forgiven considering that VPN is only an older version of Microsoft DirectAccess.
Another criticism that VPN faces is that it is not as secure. However, this is only in comparison to newer networks. VPN can easily make online connections anonymous without any error. It can be used to save private information from getting in the wrong hands.
Main Differences Between Microsoft DirectAccess and VPN
Conclusion
Microsoft DirectAccess and VPN have many similarities. They are often even considered to be the same thing. However, there are several differences between the two technologies. One of the most notable differences is that Microsoft DirectAccess turns on and off automatically when the client uses the internet. In contrast, VPN needs to be turned on and off manually by the client whenever needed.
Due to this, Microsoft DirectAccess is far less time-consuming. Moreover, it is a newer version of VPN. The technology has many upgrades and much more features as compared to VPN. The best part is that despite all of this, Microsoft DirectAccess is much more budget-friendly than VPN.
One of the most common criticisms of VPN is that it is not very secure. However, it was once the fastest and most efficient way to secure a network. Even today, it is widely used by people to surf the web anonymously.
References
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