VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS (VPN)

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS (VPN)

What is VPN?

• Virtual Private Network is a type of private network that uses public telecommunication,such as the Internet, instead of leased lines to communicate.
• Became popular as more employees worked in remote locations.
• Terminologies to understand how VPNs work. Private Networks vs.Virtual Private Networks
• Employees can access the network (Intranet)from remote locations.
• Secured networks.
• The Internet is used as the backbone for VPNs

Brief Overview of How it Works

• Two connections – one is made to the Internet and the second is made to the VPN.
• Datagrams – contains data, destination and source information.
• Firewalls – VPNs allow authorized users to pass through the firewalls.
• Protocols – protocols create the VPN tunnels. Four Critical Functions
• Authentication – validates that the data was sent from the sender.
• Access control – limiting unauthorized users from accessing the network.
• Confidentiality – preventing the data to be read or copied as the data is being transported.
• Data Integrity – ensuring that the data has not been altered

Encryption

• Encryption -- is a method of “scrambling”data before transmitting it onto the Internet.
• Public Key Encryption Technique
• Digital signature – for authentication

Tunneling

A virtual point-to-point connection made through a public network. It transports encapsulated datagrams.
Two types of end points:
 

• Remote Access
• Site-to-Site

Four Protocols used in VPN

• PPTP -- Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
• L2TP -- Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol
• IPsec -- Internet Protocol Security
• SOCKS – is not used as much as the ones above

Types of Implementations

What does “implementation” mean in VPNs
3 types

• Intranet – Within an organization
• Extranet – Outside an organization
• Remote Access – Employee to Business

Device Types

 3 types

•  Hardware
•  Firewall
• Software

Applications: Remote Access

• Encrypted connections between mobile or remote users and their corporate networks
• Remote user can make a local call to an ISP, as opposed to a long distance call to the corporate remote access server.
• Ideal for a telecommuter or mobile sales people.
• VPN allows mobile workers & telecommuters to take advantage of broadband connectivity.

        Healthcare: enables the transferring of confidential patient information within the medical facilities &     health care provider

• Manufacturing: allow suppliers to view inventory & allow clients to purchase online safely
• Retail: able to securely transfer sales data or customer info between stores & the headquarters
• Banking/Financial: enables account information to be transferred safely within departments & branches
• General Business: communication between remote employees can be securely exchanged