Mobile VPN—a Third-Generation VPN Solution Built for Today's Mobile User
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a network designed to secure remote network access. It extends the reach of LANs by using a public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, and does not require any owned or leased private lines. Companies use VPNs to provide telecommuting employees and branch offices with secure access to the corporate network and applications on internal servers.
Traditional VPNs, based on IPsec and SSL, provide a high level of security when properly configured and used. They use authentication and encryption technologies to protect networks from unauthorized users and to secure data transmissions to and from devices. These VPNs work well for fixed remote access but do not handle the challenges of wireless communication and mobile devices well. These challenges include coverage gaps, inter-network roaming, bandwidth, battery life, and limited memory and processing power.
What is a mobile VPN?
The third-generation VPN, called the mobile VPN, is based on the TLS protocol, which has been optimized specifically for low bandwidth networks and mobile devices.
A mobile VPN provides the same level of security as the traditional wired VPN solution but it is optimized for the challenges of the wireless world. It provides session persistence and inter-network roaming to create a consistent and seamless user experience when the devices switch networks or move out of coverage. Advanced data compression increases the throughput and also provides good performance in wireless networks with small bandwidth. Additionally, a true mobile has a much smaller memory footprint and uses less processing power than a traditional VPN, enabling applications to run faster while the battery lasts longer.
Why a mobile VPN?
Traditional VPNs are designed for fixed networks characterized by high bandwidth and low delay and jitter, where data loss mainly occurs due to congestion. When wired VPN technology is applied to wireless devices, users experience slower speeds, data loss, and multiple log-in attempts due to connectivity problems when the device roams, loses coverage, or hibernates to save battery power.
If your company’s employees use wireless networks to connect to the corporate network from the road, mobile VPNs offer a best practice for remote access. They provide a “wirelike” experience with persistent and seamless access as users move around and access different network types. The mobile VPN both increases user satisfaction and productivity and reduces cost for helpdesk and support issues caused by connectivity problems.