Jay Norris with Claris Networks defines a VPN, what its uses are and the three ways they are implemented. Check it out in the video below. If you’d rather just read it, just scroll on down for the text version.
“One of the questions I get a lot while out working with clients is “What is a VPN?” You may have heard this term thrown around by your savvy IT person, but not really known what it meant. Well, a VPN means “Virtual Private Network.” And that’s essentially a tunnel, a conduit to get data from Point A to Point B.
So let’s say your servers and data are both stored at your office. It’s just down the hall from your desk, and when you’re sitting at work it’s easy to access. Well, a VPN will allow you to access that same data from virtually anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. It allows you to work from home. It allows your business to expand to multiple offices and all access the same data. Now to boil this down to its simplest element, a VPN can happen in one of three ways:
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Software loaded on your computer
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Website you log into
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Hardware firewall
I’ll leave you with this: a VPN is essentially a tunnel, a guarded path to get you connected to your data and to keep it secure.”
What other questions do you have?