Virtual Private Networks

[Corticus]

Hi all,

I need to set up a virtual private network between 3 offices in different locations.
Is it necessary for all offices to have a server, or is it enough for just one to have a server.

Also, I would appreciate a decent online reference about VPNs in general. Maybe something like VPNs for dummies. I did a Google search and was a bit overwhelmed.

Thanks.

 

[Smitty]

We use a Cisco VPN

It's pretty seamless for me, and I think we only have one server in our Corporate office here.

Other than it works, I have no clue about it.

Smitty

 

[Corticus]

Thanks pennysaver,

We use a NetGear Prosafe VPN firewall.. maybe that means the best route would be to use the software NetGear sells for VPN. I kind of expected as much.. I'll post back with any juicy updates.

I hate this hardware nonsense... I'm supposed to be a programmer!

 

[Ken Puls]

Hi Corticus,

No server is necessary, but a VPN device of some kind would be. At my work we use 3 Sonicwall VPN devices to connect our 3 locations together via VPN tunnels.

This allows us to host all of our servers in our administration building, and use Thin Clients (dumb terminals) for every workstation in the other locations.

One thing I will say is that I've found that it takes a specialist to get it right with this stuff. Our sonicwalls are running two ISPs at each location, with failover and load balancing built in, and I'm still not convinced that they're working quite right. I've so far had to get the manufacturer involved with my IT techs to really make it stable at all. It's a totally different field than other IT ones.

Of course, yours may not need to be as stupid redundant as mine, but still, just throwing it out there.

Cheers!

(Hi Smitty! )

 

[Corticus]

Thanks kpuls, good info.

I was just starting to figure out that a server wasn't necessary.

We're using Netgear firewalls that support VPN, I just ordered the VPN client software, it's supposed to allow for a "seamless" transition to a VPN (HA!), we'll see how it goes. I've been reading the documentation (250+ pages) about the firewall, and I agree about the specialist. That's one of the reasons I went with the software, we supposedly get 24/7 tech support, hopefully that's enough to sort through this thing.

I'm supposedly the IT tech, so I guess that means I'm ultimately responible for making the thing work, though I wouldn't mind passing the buck on this one.

 

[Ken Puls]

I'm supposedly the IT tech, so I guess that means I'm ultimately responible for making the thing work, though I wouldn't mind passing the buck on this one.

ROTFL! I know the feeling. I love it, but everything I've learned in IT was "on the job" training. It seems to me that saying "I love computers" is (or used to be, anyway) enough to qualify you as the guru, at least as far as small business goes, anyway.

I've gone from managing one NT Workstation (acting as a server) with 10 Win 95 workstations up to managing a Novell Cluster, Citrix Farm, 3 location VPN, 30 Thin Client Devices, SAN device, Point of Sale stations and more, just because I liked computers. And that's only the hardware side! As I say, I love it, but sometimes it's a little scary when you think how many people are depending on you to make it work.

Support contract is a must. Hopefully the techs on the other end of the phone are good, but make sure you pester them to death if it isn't working for you.

Good luck!