Before COVID 2019, remote work was something only a few people knew about. Only 17% of US employees worked from home on and off during the pandemic; the percentage went up to 44.
When Hybrid and remote work were established during the pandemic, the working patterns of companies worldwide changed, and that’s when remote access VPNs came to light. Such VPNs enable telework for their employees, and in this article, we will delve into what remote access VPNs are and how they work.
All about remote access VPN
Simply, a remote access VPN is an excellent security solution that allows contractors and employees to connect to company networks from any remote location like home.Â
Nowadays, when hybrid working is on the rise, a remote access VPN is a secure solution for corporations and IT businesses so they can secure their assets in the form of data.
How does remote access VPN work?
So a remote access VPN builds an encrypted tunnel between the client –the VPN gateway.
A VPN gateway can be either a network device, e.g., a router or a firewall. This gateway later interconnects all the participating users and systems.
Then there is the VPN client. Remote users and their devices must be authenticated to qualify for a VPN connection. Authentication happens either in the form of digital certificates, passwords or a client app.
After the authentication, the VPN connection is established, and any remote worker gets access to company systems and data from the official office.
Benefits of remote access VPN
Let’s discuss the many amazing benefits of a remote access VPN and why it is the best solution for different industries.
Remote healthcare consultations
As a healthcare consultant, you can be absent on-site. You can use the remote access VPN to securely connect to hospital networks to access patient records outside the facility.
This way, you can provide medical advice and prescriptions to your patients even when you are not physically present in the hospital.
At the same time, you can provide remote consultant services to patients around the globe right from the comfort of your home with the help of this VPN.
Netflix and content accessibility
It may be hard to believe, but the movies available in the US are much more different than those in other countries. And the same is true for TV series. If you are a Netflix fan and want to access movies or TV series from anywhere around the globe, you can use a remote-access VPN.
Subscribers in different countries can use such a VPN to access content libraries from other regions.
Global business expansion
Suppose you are a company looking forward to expanding its business internationally. In that case, you can use remote access VPNs to ensure secure connections between the headquarters and remote offices. This way, you can share resources, communicate with remote workers and provide effective collaboration.
Ideal for freelancers and contractors
Yes, freelancers can work from anywhere in the world, but they have to access the project details from the company network if they are working in an organisation remotely. By using remote access VPN, freelancers can securely connect to clients’ networks to access necessary project files.
This arrangement allows for efficient collaboration while keeping data protected.
Media and entertainment production
Let’s say you are working in the entertainment and media industry. You must know that the production team often works on projects requiring collaboration from different locations. This collaboration can be for film editing, audio production or animation.
It is only possible for some of the members to stay present on-site, where remote access VPNs come in handy. With the help of this VPN, anyone can access large project media files or shared resources from their respective locations to cater to the needs of the projects.
Challenges and mitigation strategies for remote VPNs
Remote access VPNs have many benefits but also come with their challenges. However, you can use some mitigation strategies to ensure you are on the right track with a remote VPN.
Security risk
There are some security risks attached to the remote VPN. For instance, your user credentials can be compromised, and attackers can gain access to the internal network. There can also be the transmission of malware from infected devices. Plus, if you are using a free VPN, there can be a flaw in the VPN software.
Solution: Use robust encryption methods when using a remote access VPN. At the same time, you need to monitor and audit VPN logs to come across any suspicious activity. Regular updates are also critical.
Affected performance
A remote access VPN is doing a lot in the background. For instance, it is constantly encrypting and routing data through a secure tunnel, which can result in increased latency and decreased network speed.
Solution: Ensure you only use a reputable remote access VPN for optimised encryption algorithms to minimise the performance impact. You can also employ hardware-accelerated VPN appliances for better performance.
Configuration and management:
Setting up and maintaining a remote access VPN infrastructure can be daunting.
Solution: The configuration and management can be simplified only if you go for user-friendly VPN solutions. Ensure you know enough tech to configure the VPN independently if you work in administration.
Conclusion
A remote access VPN is an option if you work in a hybrid or remote setting. You can achieve much more with this VPN, enhanced security and protection. However, ensure you only choose the best one for your remote setting needs.
