WHAT IS VPN

What Is A VPN

A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a method used to add security and privacy to private and public networks, like WiFi Hotspots and the Internet. VPNs are most often used by corporations to protect sensitive data. However, using a personal VPN is increasingly becoming more popular as more interactions that were previously face-to-face transition to the Internet. Privacy is increased with a VPN because the user's initial IP address is replaced with one from the VPN provider. This method allows subscribers to attain an IP address from any gateway city the VPN service provides. For instance, you may live in San Francisco, but with a VPN, you can appear to live in Amsterdam, New York, or any number of gateway cities.

A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network across a public network, such as the Internet. It enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. Applications running across the VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network

A VPN is created by establishing a virtual point-to-point connection through the use of dedicated connections, virtual tunneling protocols, or traffic encryption. A VPN available from the public Internet can provide some of the benefits of a wide area network (WAN). From a user perspective, the resources available within the private network can be accessed remotely.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

- By using VPN users can access a computer or network from anywhere as long as there is internet connection.
- Have a level of security, using the VPN connection the user can surf securely through WiFi hotspots is included.
- VPN can work in a public network such as a WiFi hotspot or personal network.
- Can open blocked sites and hide IP addresses are replaced with the VPN public IP.
- VPN cost effective solutions for the business organization by using a special network.

disadvantages

One disadvantage of a VPN is the fact that its deployment requires a high-level of knowledge and understanding of such factors as public network security. VPN security requires password and data encryption. Network addresses may also be encrypted for added security. To avoid security and deployment problems, planning is necessary and proper precautions should be taken.

pros and cons

VPN Security and Design
Pro – Virtual private networks offer a much higher level of secure communication when compared to other remote methods of communication. This is due to the advanced technologies that are used to protect the network from unauthorized access.
Con – The design and security implementation for a virtual private network can be complex. This means that it requires a professional with a high level of understanding for the best type of VPN configuration and some of the security issues that can occur when using a VPN. VPN Cost
Pro – When it comes to operating a virtual private network within an organization the costs are significantly lower than other types of configurations. This is mainly due to the absence of variables for different types of communications over the VPN and the opportunity to communicate securely at low cost in other parts of the world.
Con – Reliability can become a factor depending upon the service provider that you choose. If the VPN utilizes the Internet it is important to work with a provider that can guarantee minimal downtime.
VPN Scalability
Pro – Virtual private networks are very flexible in terms of growing with the company and adding new users to the network. This type of infrastructure allows for scalability without having to add new components to accommodate the growth.
Con – If it happens to be necessary to create additional infrastructure the solutions can become incompatible and cause technical issues if you use a different product vendor than you used for the current infrastructure. On the other side of the coin and depending upon the product vendor you use, working with the same vendor can sometimes increase the cost of deploying additional infrastructure.

VPNs and Mobile Workers

Pro – Virtual private networks offer more flexibility for business partners to communicate over a secure connection. A VPN will also create more ease of communication with remote workers and enable them to check in at the office without sacrificing security.
Con – The use of mobile devices to initiate connectivity to the virtual private network can cause security issues especially if the connection is wireless. For this reason, an added solution is sometimes needed to tighten up security when logging on to the VPN with a mobile device.