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With the passing of Microsoft's TMG and UAG 2010 solutions, many organisations have been left to ponder on why the company was withdrawing from the security market. However, for the last year I have been working with Windows Server 2012 and it is clear that Microsoft never left the security market at all. It simply views its latest operating system as the best vehicle for delivering its more expansive security suite to a wider audience.

I recently wrote about the business benefits of using Microsoft's DirectAccess, which requires Windows 8 at the endpoint, in conjunction with Windows Server 2012 running on the corporate network. The more I work with Windows Server 2012, the more I realise that DirectAccess is only one part of Microsoft's comprehensive secure connectivity platform.

In Windows Server 2012, DirectAccess coexists with Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS) for the first time. This provides organisations with the widest range of methods of delivering secure connectivity, dependent on the type of endpoints in use.

So far in Windows Server 2012, I have been able to enable the web application proxy services, a natural successor to TMG as a proxy gateway, and I have also been able to deliver IPsec VPN connectivity to non-Windows devices, including iOS tablets and phones.

But even more interesting is the ability to provide granular levels of access to users working on devices with questionable levels of trust. Workplace Join is a feature that enables organisations to offer fine grained access to resources for users, if they register their device on the network. The Work Folders feature enables users to synchronise specific folders to their own devices, while ensuring that the IT administrator retains control of the data through centrally managed policies and digital rights management.

All of these capabilities focus on the need to deliver corporate content from the private cloud to the remote workforce. But with Windows Server 2012, we are also given the ability to connect and publish content securely from the public cloud. Acting as an ADFS proxy allows organisations to ensure they provide content only to known workers.

TECHNOLOGIES UNIFIED
Like many people, I reacted with shock and sadness to the demise of TMG and UAG. But, working with Windows Server 2012, I can see how Microsoft has simply unified these technologies and made them part of its mainstream technology stack. This is a significant step in the right direction for IT professionals who are confronted by the need to embrace the hybrid-cloud, while operating with a limited budget.

With so many secure connectivity options, Microsoft has strengthened its security posture and with native support for many third party solutions, such as endpoint encryption and MDM, it has actually extended its security proposition to support organisations that are serious about secure collaboration.

Microsoft is challenging us to think differently about how we approach security and collaboration. It is prompting us to see this as part of our daily responsibility, rather than an 'optional extra'.