Typically, individuals interact with remote access VPNs, whereas businesses tend to make use of site-to-site connections for business-to-business, cloud computing, and branch office scenarios. An intranet site-to-site VPN describes a configuration where the sites connected by the VPN belong to the same organization, whereas an extranet site-to-site VPN joins sites belonging to multiple organizations. Extranet-based site-to-site In the context of site-to-site configurations, the terms intranet and extranet are used to describe two different use cases. The interconnecting link may run over a dissimilar intermediate network, such as two IPv6 networks connected over an IPv4 network. This configuration expands a network across geographically disparate offices, or a group of offices to a data center installation.
Site-to-site A site-to-site configuration connects two networks. This may be employed for remote workers who need access to private resources, or to enable a mobile worker to access important tools without exposing them to the public Internet. This type provides access to an enterprise network, such as an intranet. Remote access A host-to-network configuration is analogous to connecting a computer to a local area network. Virtual private networks may be classified into several categories: VPN connectivity overview, showing intranet site-to-site and remote-work configurations used together From a user perspective, the resources available within the private network can be accessed remotely. A VPN available from the public Internet can provide some of the benefits of a wide area network (WAN). Ī VPN is created by establishing a virtual point-to-point connection through the use of tunneling protocols over existing networks.
Encryption is common, although not an inherent part of a VPN connection. VPNs are also used to bypass internet censorship. The benefits of a VPN include security, reduced costs for dedicated communication lines, and greater flexibility for remote workers. A VPN can extend a private network (one that disallows or restricts public access), enabling users to send and receive data across public networks as if their devices were directly connected to the private network.