Apollo Access Server

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The Apollo Access Server is a carrier-class host end access server from Brand Communications.

It has been developed and manufactured to satisfy the need for high-capacity, resilient and reliable remote access solutions in conjunction with Brand's software client - Apollo Emulator. It is effectively the gateway between the remote/mobile world and the LAN environment. It handles all of the communications, and delivers significant operational benefits to the organisation.

Key Features

• Resilient hardware chassis with dual PSUs, fans and disks and RAID5 disk arrays
• Designed for GSM (Switched Circuit), totally compatible
• Scalable and Upgradable within the same chassis
• The unique status messaging facility is built in as standard
• Comprehensive monitoring, management & control functionality
• Simple to configure and operate
• Multiple services and user groups per server
• Compatibility with PPP
• Support for multiple PRI protocols within the same chassis
• Session Management (spoofing) for thousands of users
• For support for RADIUS, SecurID and enhanced security for mobile users
• Proven technology; used by many network operators & corporates

Mobile Freedom

The Apollo Access Server is a scalable product with the ability to support thousands of logged-on users and hundreds of concurrent calls.

The server also provides session management (spoofing) for cost reduction and efficiency of port utilitisation, call recovery, compression and true total compatibility with all GSM networks making it ideal for the fixed or mobile market.

The product also comes with a complete status messaging platform for real time notification management ideal for emergency services, utility, security and logistics markets.

Compression

Some remote access packages offer compression. Brand's compression algorithm is optimised for low bandwidth connections and intelligently compresses the data according to the type.

Session Management

Apollo's unique session management technology ensures that only real user data is actually transmitted, and all other network traffic is suppressed locally. In addition, even though a full logical session is maintained between mobile and host, the actual data call is dropped when there is nothing to send. This makes maximum use of the bandwidth, reduces backbone traffic, makes maximum use of the host port capacity and reduces call charges significantly. From the remote users point of view, it means not having to log on everytime and a much faster response time, increasing user satisfaction of the system.

Call Recovery

It is widely accepted that dial-up calls drop from time to time, for various reasons, particularly GSM when coverage is poor or when the user enters an area of no coverage (e.g. a train tunnel) mid-way through a call. Apollo's unique call recovery techniques ensure that the cell is reconnected as soon as it can be, transparently to the user. To manually re-connect and log on, wastes time and causes frustration. Apollo's push technology means that the host can intelligently re-establish the call if it has something to deliver to the mobile. A unique algorithm ensures no collisions between both ends as they attempt to reconnect the link.

Status Messaging

This is a unique element of the Apollo Access Server. It enables any telephone (whilst connected to any data device) to simply dial in, whereby the Apollo Access Server will automatically generate and forward a user-defined status message to a host destination. It is the ideal compliment to full remote access as a standalone can be used by emergency services and fleets to up-date central sites of progress.

Authentication

The Apollo Access Server supports PAP/CHAP authentication using a networked RADIUS server. The Access Server also supports SecurID using a RADIUS server to proxy the ACE server. The RADIUS client on the Apollo Access Server can support both static and dynamic IP allocation. In the case of dynamic IP allocation, the RADIUS client can donate an IP address from an address pool residing on the Access Server.

When using the Apollo protocol, re-authentication upon reconnection is based on CLI. Where no CLI is available, the client re-authenticates using a encrypted password given to it by the Access Server.

Customer Care

The Apollo Access Server presents a GUI display accessible by the administrator of the server. This provides a whole host of statistics and information to assist in the everyday running of the server. These include status information of the server and the users, usage statistics for audit or billing purposes, error messages and real-time status, useful for debugging user problems.

SNMP Management

Apollo is fully compatible with SNMP, which means that it dynamically generates traps and alarms to any SNMP-enabled workstation. Any such workstation can poll the server for a real-time picture of the status and performance of the server.