Virtual Private Networks
Until fairly recently, this has meant the use of leased lines to maintain a wide area network (WAN). Leased lines, ranging from ISDN (integrated services digital network, 128 Kbps) to OC3 (Optical Carrier-3, 155 Mbps) fiber, provided a company with a way to expand its private network beyond its immediate geographic area. A WAN had obvious advantages over a public network like the Internet when it came to reliability, performance and security. But maintaining a WAN, particularly when using leased lines, can become quite expensive and often rises in cost as the distance between the offices increases.
As the popularity of the Internet grew, businesses turned to it as a means of extending their own networks. First came intranets, which are password-protected sites designed for use only by company employees. Now, many companies are creating their own VPN (virtual private network) to accommodate the needs of remote employees and distant offices.
 Image courtesy Cisco Systems, Inc. A typical VPN might have a main LAN at the corporate headquarters of a company, other LANs at remote offices or facilities and individual users connecting from out in the field. |
Basically, a VPN is a private network that uses a public network (usually the Internet) to connect remote sites or users together. Instead of using a dedicated, real-world connection such as leased line, a VPN uses "virtual" connections routed through the Internet from the company's private network to the remote site or employee.
A well-designed VPN can greatly benefit a company. For example, it can:
- 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
- Provide global networking opportunities
- Provide telecommuter support
- Provide broadband networking compatibility
- Provide faster ROI (return on investment) than traditional WAN
What features are needed in a well-designed VPN? It should incorporate:
- Security
- Reliability
- Scalability
- Network management
- Policy management
Related HowStuffWorks Articles
- How Routers Work
- How Firewalls Work
- How Encryption Works
- How Network Address Translation Works
- How LAN Switches Work
- How Ethernet Works
- How Modems Work
- How DSL Works
- How Cable Modems Work
- How Web Servers Work
- How Home Networking Works
- What is a packet?
Source:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/vpn.htm
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