Global VPNs answer Internet access prayers - Industry Trend or Event

Communications News, Sept, 2000 by Doug Laurin

Experience Internet benefits without the security risks, while executing a proactive converged networking strategy.

Today's network managers appear to be in a no-win situation when it comes to reconciling a proactive, global Internet access strategy with their organizations' need for high levels of enterprise network security. On the one hand, they recognize the benefits of using the Internet--including cost savings and an expanded "reach," the improved efficiency, new revenue streams and the competitive edge that result from connecting to business partners and customers, as well as the actual generation of new revenue through such applications as Web-based sales programs. On the other hand, they are the keepers of their corporations' security requirements and their jobs depend on how well they fulfill this obligation.

Global virtual private networks (VPNs) from global networking providers are an answer to the network manager's prayers. VPN technology lets network managers gain control of the chaotic Internet environment in which most enterprises operate today. They have branch offices, remote local area networks (LANs), customers and numerous other installations, all using the public Internet to reach the enterprise network. This wide-open access lacks security and varies greatly in performance.

The common alternative is to combine a wide-area connection to concentrate traffic bound for the public Internet in one location with a heavy-duty, well-maintained firewall. Adding all of this dedicated connectivity is an expensive alternative, yet another reason to evaluate IP VPNs, which are also less expensive than the frame relay needed to concentrate traffic, while providing many of the performance characteristics that make frame relay an attractive solution.

The best source of global VPNs is value-added providers. They provide not only the IP-based global networking resources, but also the security and application performance so necessary today on enterprise networks linked to the public Internet. In particular, two solutions are being adopted by multinational enterprises: IP VPNs, or private Internets that include intranets/ extranets; and managed firewalls.

MORE EFFICIENT GLOBAL IP NETWORKING

A primary objective when meeting the growing demand for Internet access is to combine simplicity with security. The first step toward simplifying Internet access is to stop dealing with a different Internet service provider (ISP) in each country where access is needed. A global VPN IP networking provider acts as a sole-source ISP, giving enterprises a single point of accountability and one currency billing, which removes a lot of administrative headaches.

Still, the bottom line for VPNs is high-speed delivery and receipt of data, transactions and other communications over reliable connections with quality levels that match differing business needs. There is flexibility, as well, in the form of access options, including high-speed dedicated circuits (64 kbps to 45 Mbps), a full menu of dial-up options (integrated services digital network or ISDN, digital subscriber line or DSL, 56 kbps) and wireless data.

The timing is right as VPN-based networking is coming of age, including standardization. The Internet Engineering Task Force describes them as the "emulation of a private wide area network (WAN) ... using IP facilities, including the public Internet or private IP backbones." In practical terms, VPNs with these capabilities translate into:

* any-to-any connectivity across a shared IP infrastructure;

* classes of service on a point-to-point basis that match the needs of specific applications for response time and throughput;

* security and quality comparable to a private network;

* high-speed Internet access; and

* support for both dedicated and dial-up users.

The dream of many network managers is a secure Internet access strategy. The sleepless nights come from the implementation and maintenance of far too many firewalls. As the Internet environment grows, the cost and complexity increases as the number of firewalls multiplies. A typical firewall costs $3,300 per month, (about $1,500 for equipment and software and about $1,800 for service management and support). When a firewall is installed at each global Internet access point on the enterprise network, the firewall infrastructure rapidly becomes unmanageable and expensive.

Increasingly, VPN providers are becoming the preferred source for managed firewall services. The first benefit is lower costs through economies of scale, plus improved security, since these providers have dedicated staffs that do nothing but manage firewalls. The less-realized benefit is considerable cost savings from accessing regional firewall farms maintained by the provider that route traffic onto secure IP networks that are owned and managed by the provider. For example, using the public Internet to reach one or two of these server farms is possible in Asia, rather than maintaining separate firewalls at 15, 20 or more locations. The same style-of-access economies apply to Europe and North America.