Bill,
 
This sounds like a nice application for the Intrusion firewall appliance. The device is a low cost network appliance that is installed in your remote locations between the router and remote LAN. The Intrusion device runs a SOHO version of Checkpoint Firewall-1/VPN-1 and is listed for around $1500.00. Here is a link to their site http://www.intrusion.com . I am using two of these boxes and they work great as remote managed firewalls or stand alone management consoles. The device has a proprietary version of Linux that it runs as its operating system and Checkpoint software is already installed.  You can run an IPSec firewall at the home office and use SecuRemote to be able to accomodate the remote laptops. If the remote laptops lack access to an ISP then you could dial into a RAS device and then connect through the firewalls from the connections made at the RAS server. You can use RADIUS and/or LDAP and authenticate users from your Windows NT or Windows 2000 domain controllers as well. You can also employ token access devices like the SecurID card for better security on the remote laptops (if a laptop is stolen, the thief would not know the passcodes .. etc.).
 
This solution would accomodate your need to provide IP services to remote sites and remote laptops while maintaining security through the firewalls at each location.  Exchange, SQL, file sharing would all be tunneled to the remote sites through the Intrusion devices and the main firewall at the home office.
 
Just my .02 worth.
 
Lance
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill C
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 5:01 PM
Subject: Request for directions

Hello list
 
I have a client in Seattle that is upgrading their SQL database to interact via xml from two remote offices and various laptops. I am NOT a security expert, and cannot advise them a good way to set this up. I am posting this in the hopes that I can get a bit of direction, and perhaps a refferal.
 
Details:
SQL server currently residing in Seattle office, available via T1. Thinking of co-locating.
Alaska and Spokane offices (around 3-5 computers each) accessing via vpn on cable and dsl. 
Laptops accessing file server and SQL via IPSec sw client on them, and cisco router at office.
 
Concerns
note lack of firewall....
File sharing, exchange server access and SQL access required with good connection speeds.
Laptops (say 6 total) may need to dial into office for all of above from around country.
 
Thoughts? <G> 
 
Bill Clark
 

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