Overview of Virtual Private Network Technologies
Before the creation of VPN technologies, the only way for companies to secure network
communications between different locations was to purchase or lease costly dedicated
connections. VPNs allow companies to create secure encrypted tunnels between locations
over a shared network infrastructure such as the Internet. A VPN is a service that offers
secure, reliable connectivity over a shared public network infrastructure. VPNs are broken
into three types based on the business component accessing the VPN and the assets available
by using the VPN: