Nortel
reportedly has unveiled “Secure Portable Office,” a new business solution that gives remote workers a secure “office-on-a-stick” using a specially formatted USB key for Windows PCs that automates business network access when inserted and protects information and applications by removing them completely when the USB key is removed.
By combining hardware, software and services, the new solution provides simple, secure network access for remote workers in healthcare, government, finance, education, hospitality and other industries, Nortel says.
Simplicity is critical, according to Zafar Chaudry, the director of IT for the Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, a hospital specializing in care for women and babies.
By using Nortel Secure Portable Office with hospital-provided laptops, 3G wireless data cards and Nortel Mobile Client Accelerator, community-based midwives from Liverpool Women’s Hospital will be able to access, review and update server-based medical records from patient homes securely, Chaudry says.
Chaudry said that midwives must keep up with complex and changing procedures to ensure the very best patient care, and having a simple solution that allows them to do their jobs securely without having to learn complex log-in and operating procedures is a real plus.
Nortel said that user identity is first authenticated when the Secure Portable Office USB key is inserted into a Windows PC. A secure network connection is then established through Nortel VPN Gateway and a so-called “Virtual Desktop” is launched, one that presents the user with a menu of authorized network applications. Nortel said that an automatic scan for viruses and out-of-date or malicious software can also be configured.
The solution helps ensure regulatory compliance by protecting sensitive information that could otherwise be exposed on a lost or stolen laptop. All data and applications are encrypted, both in transit and on the PC and when the USB key is removed, the complete Secure Portable Office environment – including all confidential data and applications – is automatically removed.
The upfront services provided by Nortel help organizations to tailor solutions to their own unique requirements.
According to Dietmar Wendt, president, Global Services, Nortel, Secure Portable Office is a prime example of the “new Nortel,” as it brings services-powered solutions to bear on customer needs in a consultative fashion. He said that it’s about combining their extensive services experience and world-class products to create complete, customized solutions in virtually any industry.
Anuradha Shukla is a contributing editor for IoTevolutionworld. To read more of Anuradha’s article, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Michael Dinan