What is VPN?
Virtual Private Networking (VPN) allows businesses
to take advantage of the Internet and affordable
broadband transmissions for secure, private
communications between partners, remote offices,
telecommuters and traveling employees. VPN
technology ensures privacy by encrypting data,
authenticating identities, and excluding unauthorized
listeners. A VPN allows private connections
to be established from almost anywhere in
the world. Unprotected Internet communications
engender serious security risks for business.
Hackers can seek out and capture data that
is traveling over the Internet, read it
or use it maliciously, and even penetrate
your network. However, concerns about VPN
management complexities and a lack of remote
security expertise are keeping many businesses
from making full use of VPN technology,
and even discounting its use altogether.
Typical VPN Uses
While there is no such thing as a "typical"
VPN configuration, there are some scenarios
where VPN technology can bring outstanding
benefits:
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Mobile users |
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Branch offices |
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Extranets |
Mobile User VPN Deployment (MUVPN)
Mobile User VPN allows telecommuters or
traveling employees to access the corporate
network while maintaining privacy and security.
Mobile User VPN encrypts sessions, preventing
eavesdropping. Another common problem that
can occur with remote users is the deposit
of malicious code on their laptops while
they are outside the company firewall. A
good MUVPN solution must be integrated with
anti-virus software on the laptop, making
it less susceptible to attack.
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