A jump server is an intermediary landing server, a host device, or an SSH gateway that enables users to connect to and manage remote systems in different security zones, and facilitates controlled access between them.
To use a jump host, users first launch an RDP connection to the jump host, identify the target host they want to connect to, make the connection between the jump host and the target, and then finally access the target machine. This entire process often requires providing the IP address or hostname of the target machine you want to access and manual authentication at every jump server setup, introducing loopholes from a security perspective.
Jump servers enable direct access to critical remote systems in separate security zones, so credentials to connect to remote systems are key targets of cyberattacks. In addition, a malicious actor with access to a jump server can masquerade as an authorized user and control the assets that are managed through that jump server. Therefore, it’s important to protect the devices in your network from external infiltration and from spreading malware to other machines on the network.
Access Manager Plus streamlines the entire process of data center access management by enabling direct connections to remote systems in a data center while adhering to the security protocols, helping you improve operational efficiency and productivity. Administrators can consolidate all remote device credentials centrally and map them to the respective jump servers. This facilitates smooth, one-click access to remote resources while the intermediary jump server authentication is automatically executed in the background.
Access Manager Plus lets you configure any number of jump servers to connect to a remote Linux system (SSH connection) and a single jump server to connect to a remote Windows system (RDP connection). Once configured, you can associate the jump servers with the remote resources managed in Access Manager Plus, and define the path to launch a direct connection with the resource. You can associate as many remote systems as needed with a single jump server; different remote systems have different connecting paths with different intermediary hop servers.
Once the configuration is done, you can launch a direct, one-click connection to the remote resources without worrying about the intermediate hops. Access Manager Plus finds the connection path automatically, then establishes connection with the landing servers and the remote resources automatically.
