VPN in Large Scale Networking Industry (Virtual Private Network)
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) becoming increasingly popular. Compare and contrast their advantages and disadvantages.
VPN is Virtual Private Network that allows for a secured communication between two systems.
The Advantage of VPN are:
VPN allows for saving money on long distance communication because it's allows for the use of public network to communicate than over the most expensive private lines that would be leased to offer the same services.
Another benefit is that it limits the amount of user support a company have to provide by itself as the support is normally handle at the ISP/VPN service level which allows for support cost to be cut down.
It also allows for improve communication with field personnel, customers, suppliers and new business partners because it offers a connection that allow access to all the services that are offered in the network that the VPN is connected to like a corporate LAN. with all files stored on that network and programs that can be used on the network.
Another advantage is that provides a wide range of connectivity options that the VPN can be used on which includes ISDN, dial-up lines, Frame relay, and many more. this offers the ability to use VPN with the large range of connections which can be found in a networking environment.
Disadvantages is not completely fault tolerant and diverse implementation. VPN are not completely fault tolerent because the service that you get through (ISP) is what determine the VPN's fault tolerant as its reliant on the ISP connection quality of service and up-time.
Example: If link to the ISP goes down the VPN connection would not work.
There are diverse implementations of it to choose from and each one of these has its own drawbacks. There is a software implementation of VPN but these often have trouble processing all the simultaneous connections on a large network. which means they often aren't suited to large companies. There is a hardware implementation of VPN but the hardware cost often boosts the cost of the VPN but allows more simultaneous connections.
