Your Portable Network

The ability to access your business data no matter where you are — at home, while traveling on business or even from an Internet cafe at the mall — is a growing trend, and one that small businesses can use to gain a competitive advantage. IP Dynamics, a San Jose, Calif.-based software company today announced Your Portable Network, a product it says can help SMBs increase efficiency and productivity while decreasing costs.

Your Portable Network (YPN) combines remote access and collaboration capabilities that, according to Steve Elston, the company's vice-president of worldwide sales and marketing, lets SMBs simply and inexpensively share files, modify documents and use any company-owned applications.

"We designed YPN to be easy to use and to manage across the life cycle of the product," said Elston "All you need is a PC and an Internet connection — no need to buy extra equipment, no IT staff, no configuration. You can invite colleagues, clients or customers from anywhere in the world to collaborate with you."

YPN capabilities include:

• File sharing and document modification
• Web conferencing
• Remote desktop sharing
• Document synchronization
• Secure messaging and chat
• Remote printing
• Remote access to business applications such as Quickbooks, ACT and Exchange
• Secure VoIP

Security
Elston pointed out that no matter whether you're sharing files, talking over VoIP or chat, or checking your e-mail remotely, your connection is secure. "We use full VPN/IPSEC security, the industry standard that big corporations use in their networks," he said

Elston said that YPN automatically encrypts and decrypts the data on the computer — no matter what the application. "When you transmit the data, no one but the person you sent it to can read it. No one except your intended recipient(s) can read the transmission on the Internet, at a hotspot, on a server or on a private network."

Net Growth — Your Portable Network lets you invite other people to join your network to share files or collaborate on projects.

Pricing and Availability
IP Dynamics plans to sell Your Portable Network to broadband service providers as a value-added service they can make available to the general public. Currently, YPN is in test trials with SBC, Bell Canada and Silicon Valley, Calif.-based Virterrra Networks. Elston said that by the end of 2005, YPN will be available at three of the largest broadband companies in the U.S.

The individual service providers will determine pricing, but Elston estimates that pricing will range between $10 and $15 per person per month. You can go to the company's Web site, and try a free 30-day trial to see if the product is right for you.

Lauren Simonds is the managing editor of SmallBusinessComputing.com

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