Microsoft is advising organizations, especially those utilizing remote access features on their networks, to transition to the ‘Always-On VPN’ feature as the company phases out the Windows DirectAccess solution.
Microsoft Phases Out Windows DirectAccess, Confirms Feature Removal in Future Updates
In a recent announcement, Microsoft has announced its plans to remove Windows DirectAccess in upcoming releases as the feature is deprecated starting this month.
Windows DirectAccess has been a popular remote access solution used by organizations to secure remote access to their networks. It allowed for direct secure connections, eliminating the need for traditional VPN connections. This enabled remote clients to connect to the organization’s network without requiring a VPN, while also providing IT admins with easy access to their systems.
However, Microsoft identified certain limitations with DirectAccess that are better addressed by modern VPN connections.
As noted, the ‘ Always-On VPN‘ feature offers more secure connections without the need for constant connections and disconnections with Windows VPNs. It also provides better support for contemporary VPN protocols and allows IT admins to select which apps utilize the VPN connection. Additionally, Always-On VPN is suitable for both domain-joined and non-domain-joined users, unlike DirectAccess, which only supports the former.
In light of these advantages of the DirectAccess replacement, Microsoft recommends that all users transition to Always-On VPN as the company deprecates DirectAccess. Organizations are encouraged to complete this migration promptly to avoid potential downtime and connection issues in the future.
While Always-On VPN is not a new feature, it has been used alongside the widely adopted DirectAccess. Therefore, Microsoft has opted for a gradual phase-out of this feature, providing a comprehensive migration guide to Always-On VPN as it proceeds with the deprecation of DirectAccess.
In future updates, Microsoft intends to completely eliminate DirectAccess, making Always-On VPN the primary technology for securing remote network connections.
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