VPN claims to solve many security problems that are faced by the businesses. Most of these issues are around secure data transfer over the public network. The internet’s greatest property is openness and ubiquity but this is a great weakness at the same time. VPN appears to be a solution to this weakness.
Most of the technologies claim to be VPN such as MPLS VPN, SSL VPN and the like. Some basic queries are how to define the VPN? Why we need it and what are different technologies are used in its deployment.
Companies in the past deployed the private networks like WAN or LAN for their critical applications. A secure infrastructure and predictable is the end result. Many businesses nowadays cannot afford to set up their own private network and existing networks had to be accessed by the people to get more market exposure. This area is where the internet is considered a boon. Networking basics still has some bottlenecks. Constraints with bandwidth, security issues because of increased exposure, session hijacking, spoofing, sniffing and man in the middle attacks.
Considering such factors and the risks may be frightening. However, a new technology has brought such risks down for the data transit on World Wide Web. VPN follows encryption and tunneling method to secure the data transferring between two ends. It extends the trust relationships across the cost effective public networks to ensure the predictable performance and security as a part of this technology.
Uses of VPN
- Tele workers or remote users can connect to their corporate server with security.
- Linking the different offices in an enterprise network
- Companies make their ecommerce solutions better by extending the infrastructure to include customers, suppliers and partners.
Variation in the Technologies
VPN has been there for quite some time. Its Present or Future depend on the emerging standard that makes it more secure and reliable. VPN is deployed and promoted more every day. Some of its products are emerging standards whereas the older ones are for the specific requirements. Each VPN product or technology has it respective advantages and disadvantages. Selection of the technology highly depends on how the problems are addressed and what are the future trends of the present technology. Security is the focus of the present and most of the technologies are highly concentrated over it.
Information must not be changed while it is transferred through the internet. Integrity must also be ensured by using one way hash function or the Message Authentication Codes called as MAC or digital signs. Before buying any service, read the VPN reviews as well available on the internet.
