VPN: remote access vs. site-to-site
Not all VPNs serve the same purpose. Choosing well avoids performance and security problems.
"I need a VPN" can mean two very different things. It's worth being clear about them.
Remote access VPN
Connects one person (their laptop) to the company network from outside. Each user installs a client and authenticates.
- Ideal for: remote work, occasional admin access.
- Watch out: don't grant access to the whole network; segment and limit to what that role needs.
Site-to-site VPN
Connects two entire networks permanently (for example, two offices), as if they were one.
- Ideal for: linking sites, connecting to a datacenter or cloud.
- Watch out: overlapping IP ranges between the two networks, and encryption/MTU.
Practical rule
Are you connecting people who come and go? Remote access. Are you connecting fixed sites to each other? Site-to-site. And in both cases: least privilege on the other side of the tunnel.
#networking#vpn#remote access