Windows DirectAccess and BranchCache Updated

Michael analyzed and wrote about Microsoft's operating systems, including the Windows client OS, as well as compliance and governance. Michael... more

Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 include improvements to DirectAccess, an automated and secure method of connecting remote Windows clients to Windows Server networks, and BranchCache, a means of optimizing data transfer between data center servers and branch offices. The improvements remove many of the deployment barriers for these features. However, both features require premium editions of Windows 7 or 8, and the improvements require Windows Server 2012, which frequently triggers the need to upgrade all Windows Server Client Access Licenses (CALs) in an organization.

DirectAccess

DirectAccess enables remote Windows 7 and Windows 8 users to connect to a corporate network with the same level of services and support that they would have if physically connected from their offices. DirectAccess automatically creates a bidirectional connection to a Windows Server similar to a virtual private network (VPN) whenever the Windows client computer connects to the Internet. The advantages of this bidirectional connection include the following:

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