Overview

HCL SafeLinx uses standards-based protocols to enable secure access from mobile computing devices outside the firewall to business applications and data on your organization's internal network.

HCL SafeLinx provides remote users with secure web-based and client-based access to enterprise applications. SafeLinx supports an extensive list of standard Internet Protocol (IP) and non-IP wireless bearer networks, server hardware and operating systems, and mobile security protocols. Remote users can connect to your internal network from a range of desktop, notebook, and handheld mobile devices and operating systems.

HCL SafeLinx supports three types of connectivity:

Clientless connections through HTTP access services
HTTP access services provide secure, client-less HTTP access for mobile devices that run supported HTTP-based applications, such as IBM® Connections and IBM® Traveler. Devices that connect through HTTP access services communicate with internal servers through a secure SSL/TLS tunnel. Applications access is seamless and does not require installation of VPN client software.
VPN access through Mobile access services
Mobile access services provide traditional VPN access to internal network servers and services. Computers and mobile devices that connect through Mobile access services must be running the SafeLinx Client to access your protected network.
Messaging gateway access through messaging services
Messaging services enable a web application server to send messages from a wired network to a client on a wireless network.

For both clientless users and traditional VPN users, SafeLinx provides secure, seamless connectivity with support for authentication, encryption, network optimization, and session persistence.

SafeLinx includes multiple components that you can configure to support connectivity, and integrate and manage with other network resources.

To support the needs of your deployment, you add component resources to SafeLinx. Certain components are common to all deployments; for example, every deployment includes an access manager and a SafeLinx Server. Other components are optional and you add them to the SafeLinx Server to support specific type of network access or security, or to assist you in managing the deployment.

You add components and specify their properties from the SafeLinx Administrator administration tool. You add components as resources in the SafeLinx Administrator. When you create a resource, you assign it to a specific organizational unit (OU). For more information about organizational units, see Organizational units.