
Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, etc. Unblock websites / access geo-restricted content Used to remotely access internal network resources securely. Hide online activity, mask user’s location, and bypass geo-blocking and censorship. Provides intranet connectivity to client computers when connected to the Internet In the table below, you can see a detailed comparison of the three options. As it’s much more secured and affordable.ĭifference between Direct Access, Personal VPN, and Business VPN On the other hand, if you’re accessing your corporate resources with a laptop running on Windows OS and want to give your IT department the ability to manage it from their end, DirectAccess is what you want to go for. However, if you’re much more concerned about getting a secured connection to your corporate network and accessing its resources on a non-Windows laptop or device, using a business VPN is your best bet as DirectAccess only works on Windows laptops. While it’s safe to assume that both solutions share some similarities in their underlying technology and function, there are some significant differences between them.įor example, if you’re looking to unblock Netflix or other streaming sites, you’re better off with a personal VPN. Business VPNĪlthough both DirectAccess and VPN technology are used to access corporate network resources remotely, many users mistakenly assume they are the same. Learn more about the difference between personal and business VPNĭirectAccess vs. Pros and Cons of Personal and Business VPN You can get a deeper picture of how a VPN works by reviewing the infographic below: How does a VPN work?Ī VPN works by encrypting and routing your internet traffic through a private network, owned by your organization (in the case of a corporate VPN) or a third-party VPN service (for consumers VPN). However, it also has some recreational uses such as keeping your online identity anonymous and private, bypassing geo-blocking, and accessing restricted content. In the corporate world, it is widely used in the business environment to allow remote users to access corporate network resources securely and ensure sensitive data during transmission are safe and secured from data interception and theft.

Clients must run on Windows Ultimate or Enterprise EditionsĪ VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is an encrypted connection over the Internet from a device to a network.

The main advantages and features of DirectAccess are:ĭisadvantages of DirectAccess are following: Once the connection has been made, the user gets access to the corporate intranet servers and can access network resources. When a DirectAccess client with an active internet connection is outside of a corporate network, it will attempt to establish connectivity with the DirectAccess gateway by creating IPsec tunnels defined by the connection security rules in the Windows Firewall on the client.
