VPN – Stands for Virtual Private Network.  It is a network that uses a public telecommunication infrastructure such as the internet to give remote offices or individual users the ability to access their computer or network from any location. Because the internet is not secure, communication between the main office and . . . → Read More: The Ends And Outs of VPN]]> The Ends And Outs of  VPN

VPN – Stands for Virtual Private Network.  It is a network that uses a public telecommunication infrastructure such as the internet to give remote offices or individual users the ability to access their computer or network from any location. Because the internet is not secure, communication between the main office and the teleworkers or mobile workers needs to keep data confidential, and this can be achieved by VPN.  Instead of using a dedicated connection such as a leased line which comes with a higher overhead, a VPN can be routed through the internet via your company’s private network, which is highly cost effective.

There Are Four Types Of VPN’s

Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol VPN (PPTP VPN) – This is a software-based VPN system that uses an existing internet connection.  In this scenario a secure “tunnel” is created between two points, allowing a remote user to connect to a remote network by using an existing internet connection. Windows Server has a built-in PPTP that you connect to via a native VPN client within Windows. PPTP establishes the tunnel but does not provide encryption. Nevertheless, it is used in conjunction with the Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption (MPPE) protocol to create a secure VPN. When using this method your company will have lower overhead cost, making it more cost effective for Small and Medium Business because the software is built into most Microsoft operating systems.  Pro and Cons: In the past PPTP has been criticized for its various security flaws, but in the current versions of the protocol many of these issues have been addressed by using Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP).  One of the main advantages of PPTP is that it does not require the use of a Public Key Infrastructure¹ (PKI). Instead of PKI, it uses computer certificates to authenticate computers. Despite that, EAP does use certificates for mutual authentication of both client and server and thus has the highest security.

Site-to -Site VPN (IPSec² VPN) – Just like Point-to-Point VPN except there is no “dedicated” line in use. It is also known as a router-to-router VPN connection. Each site has its own internet connection which may or may not have the same ISP (Internet Service Provider) or even the same type of connection; for example, one office may have a T1 (T- carrier is a digital circuit) while the other may have a DSL (digital subscriber line) connection. Unlike Point-to-Point, the routers at both ends do all the work including routing and encryption.  This is the easiest way for two offices to connect without having each of them dial-up using a PPTP connection, and it is the most popular solution for connecting remote locations to headquarters. It also provides advanced encryption to secure information in transit and is the premier solution for permanent VPN connections.

Point-to-Point – This method is two or more networks that are connected using a dedicated line from an ISP (Internet Service Provider). Dedicated lines are typically T1’s, Metro Ethernet (a computer network that covers a metropolitan area and is based on Ethernet standard) or OC (Optical Carrier³) lines. The main benefit of using a Point-to-Point is that it does not go out over the public Internet, so performance is not degraded by routing problems, latency, and external congestion.  However, these types of connections can be very expensive.

MPLS VPN – Stands for Multiprotocol Labeling Switching. MPLS uses route distinguishers to identify VPN membership and contain traffic within a VPN community. MPLS is considered a true “ISP-tuned” VPN.  This type of connection requires two or more sites to be connected via the same ISP. It is possible to configure this method using different ISP’s, but you will never get the same performance each and every time. Originally MPLS was designed to improve how the router the stores and forwards packets over the internet.  There is less overhead with this method and routing between sites is optimized by static routes from your ISP.

The Value of VPN

Have you ever arrived at a meeting and discovered that you did not have the latest version of a report? Or have you ever been away from your office and wished you could get a document or contact information from your desktop or out of your mail client? There are any numbers of reasons why you should set up VPN for secure remote access:

• The ability to access files and information anywhere and anytime
• Improved security
• Simplify network topology
• Improve productivity
• Provide global networking opportunities
• Provide faster ROI (return on investment) than the traditional WAN

Best Practices For A  Well-Designed VPN

• Security
• Reliability
• Scalability
• Network management
• Policy management

VPN is often the most cost-effective way to provide access to your computer and network.  The first thing to consider before deploying a VPN gateway is what type of technology you want to utilize based on the number of users, amount of bandwidth, security, topology and cost. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and it is important that you familiarize yourself with each before making a decision.

If you are interested in setting up a VPN tunnel and you have any questions, please contact sales at 1-888-923-8085 or email sales@officeperfect.com. We will be more than happy to assist you in your decision-making process.

Schedule An Appointment Today!

Footnotes:

¹Public Key Infrastructure enables users on a unsecured public network such as the Internet to securely and privately exchange data and currency through the use of a public and a private cryptographic key pair that is obtained and shared through a trusted authority.

²IP Sec is Internet Protocol security (IPsec) is a framework of open standards for protecting communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks through the use of cryptographic security services.

³OC is a network line with transmission speeds of up to 622.08 Mbit/s

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