VPN Network: What Protocols Are For?

The word protocol is often used when talking about VPNs.

Protocols are critical to the efficiency of a VPN Network because they determine how the tunnel that allows secure data transit is built.

Each protocol has its own characteristics: some improve speed, and others are more suitable for those who prefer privacy and data security.

To make a VPN more secure and reliable, you can use multiple protocols, thus combining their advantages.

The best known and most used protocols include MPLS, GRE, L2TP, and IPsec Hardware Accelerated.

The IPsec protocol

Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) was designed to provide security to IP packets transmitted over the Internet. It uses specific encryption and authentication systems to guarantee data protection and integrity.

GRE protocol

Generic Routing Encapsulation ( GRE ) is a protocol used to create virtual tunnels. It is often used when data encryption is not required, such as when the VPN Network is activated on an operator’s proprietary network and is therefore considered “trusted.” However, it can be combined with other protocols to increase security levels.

The L2TP protocol

L2TP (Layer Two Tunneling Protocol)  is a network protocol that supports multi-protocol VPN Network. Actually, L2TP does not provide any intrinsic security and must be used in conjunction with other authentication and encryption protocols. Typically IPsec is used, which provides both authentication and encryption. The combination of these protocols is known as L2TP / IPsec.

The MPLS protocol

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a data forwarding protocol used to increase information transmission speed. This is because MPLS routes data on a given path between pairs of routers using labels rather than relying on the complex routing tables on which normal IP transmissions are based.

How many types of VPNs are there?

Knowing the essential characteristics of a VPN Network is important to tailor the service to the specific needs of your business.

Below you can find some brief indications of the communication models used, the information transport mode, and the robustness of the network (topology).

VPN communication model

The main distinction between knowing is between remote access and site-to-site VPNs.

Remote Access

The remote access VPN Network (also called an extranet) allows the client to use software to connect to the corporate server. This type of option is often used by employees of companies who work in smart working.

Site-to-site access

The site-to-site connection (also called Intercompany or Intranet) is commonly used by companies that need to connect multiple sites securely. Each site will be equipped with a router that allows you to easily share data and information with the other nodes of the private network.

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