A VPN or a Virtual Private Network provides a way to connect two PC’s on two different networks simulating their being both on the same local network. Hence the “virtual” part of the name. This allows secure remote access to a local network’s resources using a public network like the Internet. For example, a user could log in to a PC at the office while using his home PC via a secure VPN tunnel. What is the VPN from the user’s point of view – a point-to-point connection between his computer and an organization’s server? The exact model of the shared or public network doesn’t matter because it is shown logically as if the data is sent over a dedicated private link.
Types of VPN
Older networks allowed VPN-style remote connections through dial-up modems or through-line connections. They used Frame Relay and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) virtual circuits provided through a network supported by TELCOs like AT&T and Verizon. Those networks aren’t true VPNs because they passively secure the data being transmitted by the creation of logical data streams. Instead of them nowadays VPNs based on IP and IP/Multi-protocol Label Switching Networks (MPLS) based VPNs are used due to big price reduction and increased bandwidth provided by new technologies such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and fiber-optic networks. A VPN server can be classified by which protocols they’re using; where does the tunnel end; whether they offer site-to-site or remote-access connectivity; what kind of security they support.
Why Would You Set Up a VPN Tunnel
Creating a VPN Tunnel between your PC and a remote network or server can be useful in many cases. For example, the tunnel could be used to encrypt all of your Internet traffic practically anonymizing your connection. The second most popular reason for using a VPN tunnel is when remote access to sensitive data is necessary. When at home or traveling, one could create a VPN connection via the Internet and access corporate assets from afar using encryption. Site-to-site VPNs make it possible for employees located worldwide to share one cohesive virtual network. A VPN tunnel could also be used to connect two identical networks over a dissimilar middle network. For example, two IPv6 networks over an IPv4 network.