Is it Time to Reevaluate Your VPN Strategy?

When it comes to your data infrastructure, accessibility and mobility are two of the top necessities. Many businesses take advantage of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to meet this requirement. A VPN has the ability to extend your company’s network virtually over the Internet, allowing remote users to access your infrastructure. However, considering the popularity of the cloud, it might be time to reevaluate your VPN solution and make sure it’s still relevant.

VPNs have been a common means for businesses to extend their data’s reach for a while now. Remote workers in particular find them very useful to access your company’s data while using their Internet-connected devices. As you can imagine, this helps businesses achieve a higher level of productivity than previously possible. However, with cloud computing on the rise, and the Internet of Things quickly making its way into society, more web-connected devices can threaten your business’s network. This demands a proper evaluation to ensure that the cloud and other new technologies won’t be negatively affecting your VPN, both now and in the future.

How Does the Cloud Fit In?
Processor magazine suggests that cloud computing changes the way that a company looks at VPNs and other types of mobile computing. VPNs have been around for a while now, but unlike the cloud, VPNs haven’t changed much since its inception. The cloud grows more dynamic and powerful with each passing day. Businesses using VPNs might only be using it to manage their on-site network, and therefore, aren’t taking the cloud into account. It’s important to understand that the data accessed over your VPN will be available to anyone who can access your network, so you should be considering the number of different devices that will be accessing your data. This includes mobile access points, wired connections, and yes, the cloud.

Enhanced Security and Identity Authentication
It might seem like common sense, but you wouldn’t believe how often businesses neglect network security. This almost seems to contradict the purpose of using a VPN, which is to provide a quality, secure connection to sensitive corporate information. A VPN is ideal to access your network’s data on a local WiFi connection, but without other basic security solutions designed to shield your computer from the countless threats that lurk beyond the connection, you might be in for a rude awakening.

According to James McCloskey at Info-Tech Research Group, “If a person is [connecting via VPN] from an unmanaged, non-corporate device, you do really want to make sure they’re not going to be in a position to intentionally or otherwise access resources they don’t need and store them on their local machine.” Therefore, it’s a necessity to not rely too closely on the VPN, and instead, integrate some other form of security into your IT infrastructure.

At XFER, we specialize in treating your IT issues with the importance and attention they deserve. One of our many managed IT services is our VPN solution. It’s a scalable, flexible solution designed to work with the needs of your particular business. Additionally, we offer cloud and mobile device management to add value to your outsourced IT experience.

It can be difficult at times to judge the technology needs of your business, and XFER understands this better than most. We offer a free network security audit to help you determine the best decision for the future of your network. Give us a call at 734-927-6666 / 800-GET-XFER to get started today.