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What is an Application Gateway (App Gateway)?
An application gateway is a security measure that protects web applications. They replace traditional web applications that require the same login credentials as the data center. Instead, users access application gateways through mobile apps and cloud services with the login credentials for the app.
Application gateways offer a solution to the modern employee who often works from home or on the go. Whether they work on a laptop, smartphone, or another device, users still need to access applications hosted by data centers and cloud solutions. Some businesses use a VPN for this purpose as it also helps secure against unauthorized access. However, VPNs can be costly to maintain.
An application gateway is an easy-to-install solution that removes the need for a VPN. App gateways are software solutions that run on regular servers, can be used in corporate data centers, and offer the same level of protection as VPNs–without requiring configuration changes.
Application gateways employ standard SSL encryption to protect corporate data flowing through the internet without special endpoint protection.
As a security solution, application gateways:
- Improve the experiences of all legitimate users
- Reduce risk with their filtering capabilities
- Produce essentially the same result as a firewall
- Contain logs for traffic, making it easier to detect malicious activity
Users also benefit from the protection of their IP addresses and personal data. Modern authentication measures are applied to ensure more secure and convenient remote access. Remote workers can access regular applications consistently with the same credentials.
About the Author
Schuyler Brown, Chairman of the Board, began working with startups as one of the first employees at Cross Commerce Media. Since then, he has worked at the venture capital firms DFJ Gotham and High Peaks Venture Partners. He is also the host of Founders@Fail and author of Inc.com's "Failing Forward" column, where he interviews veteran entrepreneurs about the bumps, bruises, and reality of life in the startup trenches. His leadership philosophy: be humble enough to realize you don’t know everything and curious enough to want to learn more. He holds a B.A. and M.B.A. from Columbia University. To contact Schuyler, visit him on LinkedIn.
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