Remote Access Supports Analog/Digital Mix

Keith Levkoff

Effective remote access today requires support for a diverse mix of analog and digital technologies. The latest generation of remote access servers provides this capability and more; most can support analog, 56K, and ISDN over a single set of phone lines using modems that automatically identify the type of incoming call and handle it appropriately. This allows you to choose the remote access method that best suits each situation, knowing that you're prepared to field calls of any type.

A wide range of remote access options is available, depending on your requirements and budget. Products that offer more room to grow generally cost more, but they often return the investment later when you need to upgrade. Ariel's Rascal RS 1000 ( see the table ) typifies the more economical solution. The Rascal RS 1000 ($11,500) has 24 ports on two PC cards that plug into an NT server the customer buys separately. At the other end of the spectrum, 3Com's Total Control Enterprise Network Hub costs about $41,500 for a 24-port version, but it offers better management and more expandability. (A 24-port modem card expected later this year will allow the TC Hub to support approximately 300 ports per chassis.) The hub's Total Control Manager, a graphical utility, lets an administrator configure settings for individual modems. Products such as the Livingston Portmaster 3 ($17,300 for 24 ports, expandable to 48 ports) and the Ascend Max 2024 ($15,420 for 24 ports, available in 12- or 24-port versions) fall within these price ranges.

One ongoing trend with these remote access servers is increased demand for 56-Kbps communications. Vendors of remote access servers are promoting their support for 56-Kbps connections over analog phone lines, especially to Internet service providers who want to reduce the wait for their customers. In fact, Livingston recently announced that it will merge with Lucent Technologies, promulgator of the K56flex technology. As is often the case in the analog modem world as new standards emerge, however, vendors are releasing prestandard products now, with promises to upgrade at a later date. Two 56K modem solutions, x2 and K56flex, are available today, and they aren't compatible with each other. Few (if any) network access servers support both. To further complicate matters, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is expected to finalize a new standard within the next year that will replace both, rendering any non-upgradable products obsolete.

Several entirely new technologies, such as digital subscriber line (DSL), are also on the horizon. Most remote access servers are software-upgradable and promise to support the final ITU56K standard, but technologies such as DSL will probably require upgrades to server hardware. Modular products are the most likely to support these cutting-edge technologies as they become available.

All of these solutions assume that you're starting fresh. If you already have a remote access server in place, and it uses separate modems or a modem pool, you can upgrade just the modems. A modem bank such as the 3Com MP/8I-modem or MP/16I-modem will allow you to upgrade only your modems to the latest technology with less cost and administration hassles than replacing the entire installation.

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Analog/Digital Remote Servers at a Glance

Analog/Digital Remote Servers at a Glance
	Form Factor	Maximum number of ports	Price for 24 ports  1	Supports analog, 56K, and ISDN	Type of 56K technology
3Com Total Control Enterprise Network Hub 800 NET 3COM; http://www.3com.com	Chassis with cards	48	$41,500	Yes	x2
Livingston PortMaster3 Integrated Access Server 800-458-9966; http://www.livingston.com	Chassis with cards	48	$17,300	Yes	K56flex
Ascend Max 2024 800 ASCEND4; http://www.ascend.com	Chassis with cards	24	$15,420	Yes	K56flex
Ariel Rascal RS1000 609-860-2900; http://www.ariel.com	Separate card (host PC provided by user)	24	$11,500	Yes	K56flex
1 manufacturer's list price for a typical configuration

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Max 2024 Ascends the Digital Heights

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Ascend's Max supports analog and digital connections to an ISP or office.

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Keith Levkoff is a senior product analy st at Progressive Strategies (New York City), a technology assessment and market research firm.