IPSec or SSL VPN Question

[steve02a]

I have a client where I setup 4 Netgear FVS318 Firewall/VPN devices to connect 3 remote offices to their main HQ office. Thus far, the VPN has been great and rarely do I have issues that a restart of the Netgear device won't fix. I am using IPSec for their VPN.

Additionally, I have been able to setup a remote printer (remote users can print directly to the printer in the HQ office), put workstations on the domain, map network drives from the main server in the HQ office, and redirect the users My Documents folder to their own folder on the server to store all their documents and such. I've also setup for the users to launch applications stored on the server and run them directly on their desktop (even though they are remote). This has been a big plus for using IPSec. Since the VPN connection is persistent, the users don't even know what is taking place. They just click, open, close, etc....and go about their day.

Now I'm implementing a new solution for another client. I'm curious about SSL VPN. Can SSL VPN do all this? From my understanding, SSL VPN is done through a webpage. For example, if they want to open xyz.exe application, they do that through the browser. If they want to access the H: Drive on the server, they do it through a browser. Wouldn't this be very similar to how the Citrix ZenApp works - all web-based and browser-based "virtualizing" everything?

None of the users actually need RDP to a computer in the HQ office. Mostly, just access to shared folders on the server and a few applications. I like the IPSec because I setup the VPN to be persistent, and provided it never goes down, the users just work away as through everything is installed on their own computer. No need to log into a website or load up client-VPN software (since no users are mobile).

What's your take on all this? Just looking for some lively discussion to toss around ideas and such.

Thanks

[jmizoguchi]

http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=19284

[jmizoguchi]

SSL and IPsec had same results in general.

if you don't like web base login then SSL-VPN is not your choice.

rest you can do pretty much same . SSL-VPN also can do full internet traffic via VPN and not local (full tunnel / split tunnel)

got enterprise section if you have registered products