Scale Computing announced a security focused feature for Scale Computing Fleet Manager: Secure Link. This new feature provides cloud-like simplicity for administrators, giving them secure remote management access for complete control of their edge deployments with the click of a button from any browser and device, without the need for expensive or complex remote access solutions. Edge deployments are now just a secure click away on any browser, on any device, anywhere. For MSPs and IT teams, Secure Link and SC//Fleet Manager remove the burden of maintaining VPNs at each site, allowing for fast issue resolution with one-click access to any cluster from a single monitoring center.

"Currently, IT staff need to be on the same network as a cluster in order to access the HyperCore UI. When the IT admin is offsite, like in my MSP business where we manage multiple customer sites, we must find a way to gain access to the 'remote network' in order to perform SC//HyperCore management. The task of remote monitoring has been simplified with SC//Fleet Manager, but in the case of any changes being required, this local, secure access is a must," said Joe Kletch of Mulehill Networks. "Secure Link solves this problem by allowing IT teams and MSPs to quickly, easily, and securely gain complete management access to all of their edge deployments. Combined with ZTP, we can now remotely initialize and configure clusters with zero access to the cluster, or even the network the cluster is on. This is going to save me time and money."

Simplicity is engineered into Scale Computing Fleet Manager, making it easier than ever to securely monitor and manage workloads and infrastructure across an entire edge fleet of clusters running Scale Computing HyperCore. Instead of managing individual deployments, SC//Fleet Manager allows users to see and manage their entire fleet at once from an intuitive cloud-based console. Users can easily monitor connectivity and cluster health . Any problems across the fleet are highlighted automatically, and if there is an issue, IT administrators can drill down into a specific cluster to further diagnose and fix the problem.

"Unlike competitive solutions where accessing edge deployments requires on-cluster or VPN network setup, or traditional VPN access to local management software, SC//Fleet Manager's Secure Link is ready for use out-of-the-box. This tight integration also eliminates the risk associated with manual setup and maintenance of traditional remote management tools," explained Scott Loughmiller, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder, Scale Computing. "Edge computing deployments no longer require costly and cumbersome VPNs, which present another attack surface, when they manage their workloads and infrastructure with SC//Fleet Manager."

SC//Fleet Manager Secure Link benefits include:

• Security Benefits
• No manual configuration required (eliminating misconfiguration risk)
• Secure Link is opened outbound by the cluster requiring no inbound ports to be opened
• Secure Link closes automatically upon session closing
• Secure Link encrypts all data
• No network traffic from the edge deployment can traverse Secure Link
• Both Fleet Manager and Hypercore authentication are required to access the edge deployment
• If currently using a VPN:
• Time Savings
• No need to install and keep updated VPN clients on your devices (and switch between clients/accounts if juggling multiple VPNs)
• Avoid setting up VPN onsite, including the work to select the VPN, edit firewall, and ensure appropriate security.
• Cost Savings
• Eliminate VPNs at a site entirely, or at least reduce the number of VPN accounts ($5-10/user per month)
• Security Improvements
• Reduced attack surface
• No security risk due to misconfiguration or out-of-date VPN software
• Removes direct network access to the edge location
• Dramatically improves control over what privileges the user has at the edge location
• Eliminates one more list of users to manage
• If currently using a Jump Server (aka Jump Host, Jump Box)
• Time Savings
• Avoid building and maintaining a Jump Server for each network
• No need to download or update the server and client apps on the jump server itself or on your devices
• Often requires multiple layers of authentication, and additional clicks once remoted in to access the HyperCore UI
• Cost Savings
• Reclaim the compute, memory, and storage resources on your SC//HyperCore clusters (or other devices) for more productive uses
• Avoid paying for an additional software license to facilitate the remote connections
• Security Improvements
• Eliminates an additional OS/Server attack vector
• No security risk due to misconfiguration or out-of-date Jump Server software
• Dramatically improves control over what privileges the user has at the edge location
• Eliminates one more list of users to manage

Pricing and Licensing

SC//Fleet Manager, now including zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) and Secure Link, is priced based on the number of clusters under management.