[PLUG] When is a VPN advantageous?

[Mike C.]

>
> I'm not traveling out-of-state as much as I used to and I'm curious when
> a VPN would be advantageous for a sole practitioner professional services
> provider who would access the office LAN for mail and files when not
> sitting at the desk there. All thoughts welcome.
>
> Rich
>

I think the key advantage of a vpn for someone like you is that you can
securely access important / confidential information via the Internet on
demand.

If you laptop got damaged, lost, stolen you could still access that
information. I think that's your key advantage.

It's probably in your client's best interest also if you were handling
their confidential info over a secure VPN and storing it on a secure
server.

Of course, I'd recommend anyone use strong passwords, 2-factor auth, and
encryption on their laptop.

VPNs were initially designed to extend the corporate LAN to a traveling
worker's laptop. That way a traveling worker retains all the domain, vlan
membership, file permissions, routing, etc. which allows them to access and
use the company's digital resources as they normally would.

-- Mike