Cloud Service Gateway

Array cloud service gateway solutions provide a point-of-control for connecting the enterprise to the cloud and for securing employee access to applications residing in either the cloud or the enterprise data center.

For enterprises, cloud services can provide many business advantages: as a testing environment for sizing new enterprise applications, providing business continuity and burst capacity for business-critical processes, cost-effective access to resources for time-bound requirements, or serving as the primary environment for applications that are best run in the cloud.

There are also disadvantages, first and foremost being the potential for rogue IT. Traditionally, IT serves as the gatekeeper of applications and resources – able to control, monitor and secure usage for the purpose of compliance, confidentiality and adherence to corporate policy. With the cloud, workers suddenly have a convenient second source for resources and applications IT can’t or won’t provide, posing a significant security risk to the organization.

What’s more, even approved cloud services provisioned by corporate IT have their downside, often creating fragmented application environment that make it overly complex to manage credentials and access policies, monitor usage and maintain visibility for the purpose of security and compliance.

Gateway from the Enterprise to the Cloud

Array cloud service gateway solutions provide access to cloud services for enterprise users by way of Array SPX Series Universal Access Controller appliances. Employees log into a secure portal using their corporate credentials and receive access to all applications and resources for which they are authorized, whether delivered from the enterprise data center or the cloud. Single sign-on eliminates the need to visit separate locations and use separate credentials to access cloud services, improving both end-user productivity and password management. Providing a framework for quickly provisioning cloud services consistent with corporate security standards, SPX Series appliances enable IT to provide workers with the resources they need in a timely manner to reduce the incidence of rogue IT in the enterprise.

Whether accessing cloud services or applications running in the enterprise data center, users log in to a secure portal provided by the Array SPX appliance using assigned corporate credentials. For users on the corporate network, IT may select to enable or disable SSL encryption from the user to the SPX appliance; for remote users, the connection is encrypted over SSL. Multi-layer security provides protection for data both at rest and in motion using two-factor authentication, identity-based access control, application level authorization, comprehensive auditing and an integrated packet-inspection firewall. Where the need for data leakage prevention is of paramount importance, Array’s DesktopDirect remote desktop access product may be used to ensure data never leaves the network.

Universal Access Control

Whether applications reside in the enterprise data center or the cloud, they must be protected and their use must be accounted for. Whether users are local or remote, wired or wireless, they must be authenticated and secured before accessing authorized applications. Array SPX Series Universal Access Controllers not only provide a gateway from the enterprise to the cloud, they provide a foundation for a unified approach to providing security and productivity in the enterprise. With Array cloud service gateway solutions, enterprises can unlock the benefits of cloud computing and anytime, anywhere access, while adopting a more rigorous approach to enterprise security that is at the same time more efficient and more cost-effective.