Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS)

What does Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) mean?

Routing and remote access service (RRAS) is a suite of network services in the Windows Server family that enables a server to perform the services of a conventional router. RRAS includes an application programming interface (API) that facilitates the development of applications and processes for administering a range of network services.

Windows Server 2000, 2003 and 2008 are integrated with various network services and specific APIs that enable a server to provide data and network routing functionality. RRAS, which transforms a Windows Server into a virtual/software router, is among these programming interfaces. RRAS applications cover a broad domain of network routing and enablement services, which can be centrally administered by the server domain controller.

Techopedia explains Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS)

RRAS provides a remote user with access to an internal network via a secured virtual private network (VPN) connection. This connectivity can be deployed using typical IP-based VPN over the Internet. Or, like an Internet service provider (ISP), it can be deployed through dial-up services by allowing remote users to connect with the organizational network after authentication. RRAS also supports direct or site-to-site connectivity between two different remote servers.

According to Microsoft, services included in the RRAS suite are:

• Remote access
• Dial-up remote access server
• VPN remote access aerver
• IP router for connecting subnets of networks
• Network address translation services
• Other router-specific services
• Dial-up and VPN site-to-site demand-dial router