Using tVolution Mini, a portable secure desktop
tVolution Mini is Becrypt’s answer to the increased threats associated with remote working. It is a smart thin client solution that comes in the form of an extremely lightweight portable computer.
It weights around 35 grams, and looks like a slightly-bigger-than-usual USB flash drive – it’s less than a half the size of an iPhone 6.
The device comes with a DC power adapter, a short (approx. 20 cm long) HDMI extension cable and mini USB-to-USB adapter. One regular-sized USB slot is for connecting the joint keyboard/mouse dongle, and the mini USB with the adapter to regular USB can be used for adding Ethernet connection. From the networking perspective, tVolution Mini comes with a built-in wireless card, as well.
The device aims to be simple to use, but at the same time provides a very high level of security that is built-in under the hood. It runs a custom version of the Android operating system often found on tablets. As it’s centrally managed, the administrator can choose what applications will be installed on it and can setup detailed rules on what the user can or cannot do, effectively reducing the usual risks of users installing their own software on the device.
The device I’ve got for review purposes was populated with different software clients such as 2X, AccessToGo, AnyConnect, strongSwan, Junos Pulse, Remote Desktop, etc. I’ve tested a couple of them and everything worked perfectly. As the majority of secure remote access solutions have clients for Android, tVolution Mini can definitely be incorporated in any enterprise environment.
tVolution Mini is an exceptionally low power consuming device – it requires less than 5 Watts of power to work. This means that you can use any portable USB charger to power the device. I’ve tested it via a couple of external battery packs and it worked really well. Actually, it exceeded my expectations, especially because the battery drains very slowly while the device is being used.
With its simple but nice product design, uberportability and the possibility to install and set up custom apps and rules, tVolution Mini is an interesting and powerful plug-and-play security solution for the remote worker.