1.VPN (Virtual Private Network)

 

What is a VPN

A VPN is private network constructed within a public network infrastructure, such as the global Internet.

VPN is a private network that uses a public network (usually the Internet) to connect remote sites or users together. a VPN uses "virtual" connections routed through the Internet from the company's private network to the remote site or employee.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an enterprise network which traverses a shared or

public infrastructure, like the Internet and establishes private and secure connections over an untrusted network, with geographically dispersed users, customers, and business partners. 

A VPN employs the same security and management policies as applied in a private network.

Transport technologies which VPN solutions utilize are the public Internet, service provider

IP backbones as well as service provider Frame Relay and ATM networks.

 A VPN is a communications environment in which access is controlled to permit peer connections only within a defined community of interest, and is constructed though some form of partitioning of a common underlying communications medium, where this underlying communications medium provides services to the network on a non-exclusive basis.

 VPN’s may be constructed to address any number of specific business needs or technical requirements, a comprehensive VPN solution provides support for dial-in access, multiple remote sites connected by leased lines (or other dedicated means), the ability of the VPN service provider to “host” various services for the VPN customers (e.g., web hosting), and the ability to support not just intra-, but also inter-VPN connectivity, including connectivity to the global Internet.

 Features needed in a well-designed VPN are Security, Reliability, Scalability, Network management, Policy management.

VPN technology allows an enterprise network to securely share information with branch

offices, telecommuters, mobile users, home users and business partners.

 

• Extend geographic connectivity

• Improve security

• Reduce operational costs versus traditional WAN

• Reduce transit time and transportation costs for remote users

• Improve productivity

• Simplify network topology

• global networking opportunities

• telecommuter support

• broadband networking compatibility

• faster ROI (return on investment) than traditional WAN