Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Advantages of Using a VPN in Business


As more and more of a company's day-to-day business is conducted over the internet, more and more companies are looking for ways of protecting their data and interactions on the web. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that can be used to do this. VPNs are, in simple terms, a way of transmitting data securely over a network. The internet is a public resource and as such you do not know much about its security - this can be problematic if you are working with private or confidential data. Virtual Private Networks are used by all kinds of people the world over. Individuals can utilise them when using Wi-Fi hotspots to ensure their security while schools and universities can use them so that students can connect to the institution's intranet. This article, however, aims to outline the ways that using a VPN can be advantageous to a business.

The most obvious benefit for businesses is the enhanced security that comes with using a VPN. When connected to a network through a VPN your data is encrypted so if any unauthorised persons attempt to take control of your data they will be unable to understand it or do anything with it. This aspect can be particularly important for those companies that deal with personal or confidential data. Besides the obvious and important security advantages of virtual private networks, there are a number of further benefits for businesses and companies.

A VPN will also add flexibility to a company or business. Through using a VPN employees can connect to the company's network and access resources, data, and the company's intranet. Without a VPN they would not be able to securely connect to these services. A VPN will allow remote workers and workers away from the office to access the resources they need. This increase in flexibility can in turn lead to an increase in productivity. Employees can work outside office hours if they wish or while they are travelling or on the move.

In a similar vein, if employees use a virtual private network it can lead to saving time and money. Being able to work from home will save the cost of commuting to and from work and time spent commuting could be more practically used. VPNs can also be money saving when compared with the older alternative of a leased line. Previously in order to connect securely to a network a leased line had to be used which could be expensive, especially when the lines had to be long-distance. A virtual private network can easily and cheaply connect networks that are geographically very far apart. In addition, the maintenance costs of VPNs are fairly low once they are set up and implemented.

Finally a VPN can be advantageous in terms of scalability. Businesses change size constantly and as they change and grow, their network and internet needs are likely to change. With a VPN, instead of having to build dedicated networks between the different offices and branches of a company, branches can easily connect to the main internal network. In short, VPNs can extend as companies expand. Also, importantly a virtual private network can, in many cases, have better performance. Once a company starts using a VPN the efficiency and bandwidth of a network can be improved - this can be particularly important as companies expand and gain more employees who will need to use the network.

VPNs are being used more and more frequently - they have even cropped up in the news. In countries where internet censorship is particularly heavy, many people have been using VPNs to get around the blocks and to protest political incidents taking place. However, in the business world there are a number of benefits: VPNs can be cost effective, secure, and scalable. They can also improve employee flexibility and productivity and can make connecting to internal networks far easier.




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