Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
As the VPN
market approaches maturity at a brisk pace, vendors have been forced to
rethink the tradition identity of their IP Security-based technology for
letting users securely access enterprise resources via the Internet.
Most large companies in need of linking their offices together have done
so on frame relay networks. Although frame is still a useful product
many users have found that the reduced cost of VPN gives them an
attractive alternative.
'During the last 18 months, vendors have pushed VPN
technology into different devices, have lessened the distinction between
VPN and firewall products, and have demonstrated a strong willingness to
deviate from standardized technology to meet corporate remote access
requirements. VPN services now come bundled with many dedicated services
and several service providers are using VPN products as a loss leader so
they can sell circuits. When investigating the use of VPN products make
sure you speak with a professional who can guide you through the
strengths as well as the weaknesses of the product. While it is a cost
reduced alternative to frame it is a different product and should be
thoroughly researched.
One of the advantages of a VPN is that internet access is
not based only on the hub and spoke layout. The users away from the hub
are able to access the internet through their own connection rather than
going through the hub and creating a bottleneck. Users will only need to
connect through the hub if they need to access information from the
central database.
Other Considerations. Is the provider offering a MPLS
"Intelligent Network" or a dumb VPN tunnel to remotes? If you
have VoIP voice for sales or
customer service staff, management opens a conference call bridge, then
marketing blasts out 10,000 emails - all concurrent events will degrade.
MPLS VPN will offer priority control. Don't send emails until the
conference or video bridge has ended.
When researching alternatives such as VPN, like always,
we recommend you consult with a professional and not just a salesman for
a VPN company. Make sure the individual you speak with is unbiased and
will give you the strengths and weaknesses of each product. This is what
we do at Low T1 Rates for unbiased
recommendations of multiple carriers.
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