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There is a wide choice of 2FA providers today, but SecurEnvoy has been in this game longer than most, and its SecurAccess offers a highly cost-effective and easily deployed solution.

This latest version on review delivers an impressive range of new features, with a clear shift in focus to supporting the latest mobile devices. These include iPhones, iPads and Blackberrys, along with any devices running Android or Windows.

A key new feature is token delivery via interactive voice messages. Traditionally, voice delivery has been problematic, as it relies on the user remembering the code after they've listened to the message.

Most competing 2FA solutions must issue a new token each time the user forgets, making this delivery method inefficient. SecurAccess resolves this issue by handling the token delivery itself.

When a user logs on to a secure web portal or a VPN, SecurAccess presents them with an OTP (one-time password) in the login screen. It then initiates a voice message that, instead of presenting them with the code, merely asks them to enter the one they see on the screen.

A unique feature of SecurAccess is that each installation can support up to eight web-based SMS providers and GSM modems. It allows you to assign priorities to each one, so you can implement SMS provider redundancy. Installation is simple, as you provide details of your Windows Server domain controller, an administrative account and the address of an LDAP server. You can add details of multiple LDAP servers during this phase and there are no limits to the number it can support.

User deployment has been streamlined even further and is now fully automated. From the intuitive administrative interface, you define the deployment method, assign it to an existing LDAP group and leave it to do the rest.

When users are first enrolled they are sent an initial SMS or email, to which they must respond by visiting the token management portal. SecurAccess can speed the process up by applying a predefined policy to the user when they register.

Another unique feature is that you can allow users to choose their preferred token delivery method. Deployments to large user bases are also handled efficiently, and SecurEnvoy advised us that initial SMS and email delivery rates can be as high as 100,000 per hour. Soft tokens, meanwhile, are supported on all smartphones and SecurEnvoy has an app for that. Unlike other 2FA vendors' apps, SecurEnvoy also provides additional security by preventing copying of the soft token.

SecurEnvoy has a sharp focus on service providers, as it allows them to offer a wide variety of authentication services to their customers. They only require a single instance of SecurAccess, which brings immediate cost benefits.

SecurEnvoy's ICE (In Case of Emergency) feature sets SecurAccess apart from the competition, as this facilitates access to services during a disaster. Users with ICE privileges are sent pass-codes that allow them to securely access business resources running from a contingency site.

Reporting features have been enhanced to provide even more information about user activities and these can now be accessed from the admin console. Real-time alerting has also been added, allowing SecurAccess to provide timely warnings of faults.

SecurAccess impresses with its ease of deployment and ongoing management, and the raft of new features in this latest version makes it even more versatile. It's clearly capable of handling very large numbers of users and its pricing structure makes it one of the most affordable 2FA solutions on the market.

Product: SecurAccess 7.1
Supplier: SecurEnvoy
Telephone: 0845 260 0010
Web site: www.securenvoy.com
Price: From 50 users, £1,250 per year