Now that you have Junos Pulse up and running on iOS 4.1, it’s time to grap the latest version of the iPhone configuration utility and configure some cool things…like VPN on Demand or certificate authentication.

Available RIGHT NOW.  Yeah, no kidding.   Just update to iOS 4.1 and head over to the App Store.   I’m speaking specifically for the App Store in the US here.  For those of you elsewhere around the globe, note that Apple has to make it available in each region and/or nation, so there may be some lag here and there.

App Store, App Note

I am writing this one from the opening general session of VMworld 2010, where, as many of you know, VMware has now launched their new View 4.5 software.  So, now the question that many will want to know is: when will the Juniper SSL VPN support View 4.5, especially PCoIP?   Answer: Today! 

PCoIP uses both TCP and UDP, requires the View client, and offers the best possible user experience over a UDP-based tunnel.  That is where Network Connect (NC) when the ESP/UDP transport really shines.   All you need to do is configure a single Network Connect profile, make sure that UDP port 4500 is open to the external interface of the SSLVPN and then test to make sure that clients are connecting with ESP instead of SSL  transport.  It’s that easy.  But if you get stuck, just hit me up and I will do all I can to clarify any configuration, performance or scalability questions.

I would also like to have a call with first Juniper SSL VPN customer to come forward that uses the new Local Mode feature of View 4.5 to see how you plan to use it in production settings.

“We’re aware of a bug in iOS 4 that is causing a delay with the Pulse app and we are working with Apple to resolve it.”

Just wanted to keep everyone in loop here.  That’s the approved messaging and all that can be shared right now, but please keep checking back and as things change and clearance is given to detail things further I will be sure to blast it out.

Juniper and SMobile together…what a combination!   This, my friends, should be fun.  Those interested in reading more should definitely check out The Network Ahead blog entry.

This feature request has been out there for years, so I’m sure many will be delighted that it has finally been delivered.  For those of you that don’t know what I’m talking about, this is a feature that allows a single user to sign into a single SSL VPN more than once…without having to terminate an earlier session.  Just imagine a single user trying to log into the SSL VPN from her laptop, only to try and use the same credentials from her smartphone moments later.  Prior to this release, only one device could be used at a time. 

I know, it sounds trivial, but the reality — under the covers, so to speak — is a bit murkier.  To pull this seeming simple task into reality, we had to account for administrative controls, specific logging for each device, those sorts of things.  But it’s here.  It’s done.  So now we can go close all of those enhancement requests.  And for all of those customers that never stopped asking — you know who you are — thanks!   The timing is pretty much perfect to really help the mobile user experience.

It’s time for another webcast! Consider this an open invitation to join me on June 16th for a joint presentation with RSA Security.

The topic? “Mobility Redefined: How to Provide Simple & Secure Access to Network Resources from Mobile Devices”

With all of the changes being driven my smartphones, now is a really good time to take a step back and rediscover what is important, learn what is new (and what perphaps really isn’t), and focus in on what the problems are before solutions are given. The goal of this webcast is to answer as many of those questions as we possibly can.

During the recent Mobile World Congress event, Juniper made a big splash with Junos Pulse and, in general, really proving that the service provider (MSSP) arena is important when it comes to managed SSL VPN services.  For those interested in this emerging strategy for elite managed SSL VPN services, check out the links here and here.

“… includes support for forthcoming SSL VPN applications from Juniper Networks and Cisco.”  http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/04/08iphoneos.html 

It will certainly be great to start runing “Apps” on the iPhone and iPad through a quick SSL VPN session rather than having to rely on things like published applications.  Not that there is anything wrong with published applications, it’s just that there is a time to run an application and then there is a time to run an app (clearly the “App” being the more lightweight version of an application running on the iPhone). 

Personally, on the iPhone I mostly prefer to run iPhone Apps, as I the experience is much more inline with what the device was designed for.  As I have said before, I’m just not that big on always having to be connected to get published applications and then having to pinch-zoom and scroll all over the place to get to the information I need.  Just as I do with my banking apps, where the apps serve me quite well to get my hands on the information I need, after which I may go open up a web page to get access to the full online banking experience, even going to a full software package like Quicken if I really want to unleash the power. 

Clearly, the experience of  being able to quickly and securely connect to the corporate network, launch the just the right business app, access internal corporate data, and then perhaps even have access to all that information offline is a winning combination that should really open up more and more corporate adoption of smartphone app usage. 

Here’s the link to the Juniper blog site, which has a bit more on the subject as well.