Cisco's SSL VPN is an amazing product, something they are very proud of (You can tell by the licensing fees!!). I personally use it, and SSL Explorer (It doesn't require anything to be installed, SSL Exp does) for both me, and friends/co-workers.
We also use CiscoSSL for our work network (I think we have something like 50 Licenses for SSL, 20 or IPSec) which works very well for us. We run a very VERY locked down network (No local admins, no writing to C other than a temp file for program settings).
The down side to Cisco has been the same thing for years, which they /are/ trying to improve.. sort of.. When you have a product that complicated, it really doesn't fit well into the small industry, which really hasn't been a target for them. I think the Linksys buyout was to try to move them in that direction a bit more (I just which some of the Cisco tech would step down to the Linksys line of products >.>).
The problem with low end business tech, is the lack of interest of your major names. Most aim for 20-50 heads Plus, which leaves the small guys out. When you have to pay someone to come in and reprogram your equipment every few weeks because you can't afford to staff someone, it gets to be a bit much.
I currently support around 350-400 end points (Servers/workstations/laptops/networking) with two other systems administrators (yes, two). We have quite a few people coming in fairly often to do what we can't afford to staff people for (Like recently hiring a local company to inspect our network, checking confureations, making everything run better) which helps a lot, but not something you can afford without some know how yourself.
Now, the smaller end of the scope, that needs a lot (Not nearly as much however) of the same grade of products as us, can't afford it. The worst part of all of this, most of the techs hired by small companies (Not all, so don't flame me) have never used anything outside of home grade. This in turn costs much much MUCH more than people should be spending when they can afford the better stuff but hire the wrong people.
Note: the rest is a story, and can be skipped (I tend to babble..)
A recent case, a friend of mine worked for a Tax office that had a total of five offices, all of which connecting using a hardware VPN to the main office. This system supported a VoIP (All lines came into the main office, then went out through the VPN..). The main office used a Comcast high end cable modem (16 Mb down, 512k up) at $300/month, then home cable (6 Mb down, 128k up) in its offices. When a phone rang, every come would go dead.. For WEEKS!
The tech (The one that set the system up in the first place) suggested changing all of the devices (Linksys Firewalls) to Sonicwalls (Newegg price at the time $450/each) into each (5x(450+%30)) into each office. I told him he needed better connections to support was he's trying, and also SonicWall doesn't support QOS over VPN, so it would create more problems. I suggested going with an SDSL in the main office for starters, then upgrading the connections in the offices..
A week later, the offices are sporting both ADSL, AND Cable modems, with duel (10x450+%30) SonicWall firewalls, the main office sporting duel T1's.. I just /facepalmed as the phone rang, and the system kicked out..
Moral of the story, CHOOSE YOUR TECHS WISELY!!
