The dial back-up option allows administrators to connect a V.90 modem or ISDN Terminal Adapter to the Efficient routers. If the main DSL line fails, the router will automatically switch to the dial backup. But if you're running a VPN session over DSL, the dial backup can maintain the VPN session. VRRP lets administrators set up two or more DSL lines and have them appear as one connection. If one line fails, traffic will automatically switch over to the surviving lines.
Users can segment their networks and perform load balancing over the multiple lines.
Ybarra notes VRRP can work with different DSL technologies, so a user could have a symmetrical DSL primary line and an ADSL backup line. The line-speed capability is made possible by performing the encryption in hardware, Ybarra says. In past versions of its routers, Efficient has used software encryption. Existing Efficient customers can download the software upgrades at no cost from Efficient's Web site starting this month. On the residential side, Efficient has produced a suite of software products designed to simplify DSL self-installs.