TL;DR
Xona Platform v5.5 strengthens remote access across distributed OT environments. It introduces session resilience to maintain continuity during network interruptions, expands centralized governance for more consistent access control, and enhances support for constrained or disconnected deployments.
In critical infrastructure environments, remote access is not abstract. It supports maintenance windows, emergency response, vendor coordination, and day-to-day operations across distributed sites.
At the same time, those axis paths are under constant pressure. Threat actors target OT environments through remote access paths. Regulators are watching more closely. And, uptime must be maintained in environments where connectivity is unreliable, intermittent, or constrained.
Platform v5.5 introduces session resilience and expanded centralized governance. This release focuses on the practical realities of remote OT work. These capabilities are designed for how critical infrastructure actually operates in the field, not just in ideal lab conditions.
What’s New in Xona Platform v5.5
Session Resilience for Unstable Networks
Platform v5.5 adds Session Hold and RDP Auto‑Reconnect, allowing secure sessions to survive temporary network interruptions without exposing OT assets or expanding the attack surface.
When connectivity drops, sessions are preserved. When the network recovers, operators resume work without restarting workflows or repeatedly reauthenticating. The security boundary remains intact throughout. In practice, this removes one of the most common friction points in remote OT work: losing progress because the network blinked.
Consider a field technician reconfiguring a PLC at a remote substation. Halfway through the task, the cellular modem loses signal. Without session resilience, they’d have to restart the entire configuration and hope the connection holds. With v5.5, the session pauses and resumes exactly where it left off once connectivity returns.
The result:
- Continuity during maintenance and incident response
- Fewer operational delays caused by dropped connections
- Security controls that remain enforced even when conditions degrade
Built for Constrained and Disconnected Environments
Session resilience in v5.5 is supported by enhancements for challenging deployments:
- Configurable time synchronization services
- Enhanced CLI tooling for constrained or disconnected environments
- Hardened, FIPS‑compliant cryptographic behavior
These improvements support diverse deployment models and regulatory requirements while maintaining a consistent security posture. They also reduce the operational workarounds that teams often rely on when systems are not designed for constrained environments.
Centralized Governance Across Distributed Operations
Platform v5.5 further expands the Xona Centralizer as a single panel for secure access governance. From one place, you can manage:
- Connection and folder structures
- Session recordings and playback exports
- Real‑time logs and bandwidth metrics
- Security policy settings enforced across all Xona Gateways
- Integration syncs with OT security platforms
The outcome is centralized visibility and control rather than fragmented site-by-site access management. Governance remains consistent even when connectivity is unstable or bandwidth is limited. For distributed operations, that consistency matters more than convenience.
Who Benefits from v5.5
Xona Platform v5.5 is built for:
- Critical infrastructure operators managing distributed OT environments
- Security teams responsible for access governance and auditability
- Engineering and operations teams working in bandwidth‑constrained or remote locations
- Organizations replacing legacy VPN and jump server architectures
If remote access has become a risk surface, an audit concern, or an operational bottleneck, v5.5 is designed to address it directly.
Experience Xona Platform v5.5
Xona Platform v5.5 is available now.
New to Xona? Schedule a demo today to see v5.5 in action.
Existing customers? Can log in to the Xona platform. To begin using the new capabilities
