VPN

How VPNs Work

When you connect to a VPN:

1. Your traffic is encrypted on your device.
2. It travels through a secure VPN server or gateway.
3. The server then connects you to the internet or a private network, masking your identity and protecting your data.

Site-to-Site VPN

A Site-to-Site VPN connects entire networks together. For example, linking a branch office with company headquarters.

• Users don’t need to configure anything; the VPN is managed by routers or firewalls.
• These connections are often built using IPsec (Internet Protocol Security), which ensures traffic between sites is encrypted and authenticated at the network layer.

This makes Site-to-Site VPNs ideal for organizations with multiple offices needing constant, secure communication.

Client-to-Server VPN

A Client-to-Server VPN (sometimes called Remote Access VPN) connects an individual device to a remote network.

• Common for remote workers needing secure access to company files or apps.
• These VPNs often rely on SSL/TLS (the same security protocol used in HTTPS websites), which makes them easy to run through web browsers and firewalls.

This type is flexible, but puts more responsibility on the user’s device and VPN client.

VPN Concentrators

For organizations with hundreds or thousands of VPN users, a VPN concentrator manages all the secure connections.
It handles authentication, encryption, and traffic routing, ensuring scalability and performance.