Alternative to Cisco VPN Client lack of support for Windows Vista 64 bit

While in the process of doing setup on my laptop which is running Windows Vista (64 bit), I had to install my VPN client. To my amazement Cisco has made the decision not to upgrade their VPN client to support the operating system. Instead they are offering a new client called AnyConnect, but it requires some hardware upgrades. I don't know the reason behind Cisco's decision, whether technical or financial, but I was not happy.

I thought I was up a creek. My only option would be to create a Virtual Maching with a 32 bit operating system and install the client there. While this was a viable option, it was certainly not optimal. I had no desire to use a VM for all my daily work. So I kept digging and came across the NCP Secure Entry Client which is a universal client (Vista 64 bit compatible) that works with many gateways including Cisco. While it isn't free, the price was approximately $144, it does work. I was able to install the trial version, import the network profile (.pcf file) and get connected in minutes.

Keep in mind, I have only been using this for a short time, but so far I have not encountered a single issue with the tool. If you need a client to use on Vista 64 and are connected to a Cisco gateway, this might be a good option for you to research.