VPNs have recently moved on to become second generation technology. From having one or two VPNs, companies are now looking to install large numbers. These numbers are likely to grow steadily and in a few years' time, organisations may potentially have thousands of VPNs. This proliferation brings undoubted benefits, but also some very major challenges for IT department. . . .
VPNs have recently moved on to become second generation technology. From having one or two VPNs, companies are now looking to install large numbers. These numbers are likely to grow steadily and in a few years' time, organisations may potentially have thousands of VPNs. This proliferation brings undoubted benefits, but also some very major challenges for IT department.

First generation VPNs frequently replaced much more expensive leased lines and provided major cost benefits, as well as delivering the standard of security required by large organisations. Early adopters did encounter some technical issues but these were generally resolved by their ISPs, by skilled internal staff or by outside consultants. Generally companies had few VPNs to manage and the cost/benefit ratio was justifiable.

...

Offset against the opportunities are some major challenges for the IT department. Security is a key issue. Companies are moving from a single entry point or a low volume of entry points to a situation of multiple entry points. This needs supervision and management on an hourly basis to ensure security is maintained. Authentication and encryption are very important here.

The link for this article located at ebcvg.com is no longer available.