VPN anyone know much about it???

[Yoshie]

Hi all,
Our company is expanding into another state, and they need access to our server and data base remotely from our new offices. Im looking at VPN is it good/bad. What if any are the drawbacks? Is there something better? We have a dedicated 1Mb constant internet connection. dedicated server, roter and firewall at the head office, and the same in the new office. there are 25 workstations and 30 users in the head office and about half of that in the new office ( at the moment.
Any help will be apreciated.
thanks in advance. :D

[AHTTech]

Our company has been using VPN for quite some time now with no issues...except, we are on ISDN and have had a few speed issues. With T1 you shouldn't. We are moving to wireless very soon and have installed a Citrix solution (might want to consider) it's already improved performance even across the ISDN.

[LagMonster]

We use VPN to 13 diffent sites It works GREAT. We haven't had one security issue, and we have backups in case the pipe goes down. We have a Hot Site also which is a Mirror of our Main site in case a natural disater or other disaster occurs at our Main base.

[Higg]

Originally posted by LagMonster:
We use VPN to 13 diffent sites It works GREAT.

So what product do you use? Hardware or Software? Is it using strong encryption? That's just for interest...

[LagMonster]

We use software for our VPN. I don't deal with that so I couldn't tell you what we use specifically off hand...I'll ask around....OK...I asked the VPN guy and he says we use Cisco VPN. He didn't give more than that. :) He doesn't know how much it costs, but he says it works good. Sorry about the lack of info, but thats all I got outa him.

[thirdfey]

Cisco PIX is very good. We are setting up our VPN this week. I am using the new Microsoft ISA Server if you can't tell from my signature down at the bottom :D Its been pretty solid so far except for some hot fixes which i don't mind. Its not being used as site to site but site to client so some of our lazy overpaid ppl can work from home :rolleyes: . Setting up the VPN in ISA server was pretty easy, a little too easy actually, I don't like it when Microsoft products can be configured easily.

[CJK]

Originally posted by clandtech:
Our company has been using VPN for quite some time now with no issues...except, we are on ISDN and have had a few speed issues. With T1 you shouldn't. We are moving to wireless very soon and have installed a Citrix solution (might want to consider) it's already improved performance even across the ISDN.


How did you setup the Citrix solution because I'm a newly certified CCA and was curious on the different ways people set up Citrix over the internet.

[Deity]

We use a VPN setup to connect six of our offices to the main office. We use a simple hardware device that both acts as a firewall and a VPN server. The device (WebRamp 710) is easily programmable, setup through a webpage. The VPNs work great, and the money we spent on the WEbRamp units is nothing compared to what we would have spent on a dedicated line or loss of money on slow dial-ups. In my opinion, VPN rocks. :D

[AHTTech]

Unfortunately I didn't set it up. One of the techs at our home office did. If you'd like I can get some specifics, what type of stuff do you want to know?

[Yoshie]

Thanks to all who repled, Looks like I can get this up and working rather than have to sync every day. Should I look at software or hardware VPN? Which is more reliable? Which gives the better speed? Any other details will be great.

Thanks again all.

:D

[Deity]

If you already have a firewall in place, I would suggest a hardware VPN, but there may be a decent software one out there that I haven't seen.

[Deity]

Cancel my suggestion about the WebRamp. I just found out that in January, Nokia took control of Ramp Networks thereby discontinuing all Ramp products. :mad: :mad:

[Yoshie]

Thanks Deity, I will check it out further :D