A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a computer network that is implemented as additional software on top of an existing larger network for the purpose of creating a private scope of computer communications or providing a secure extension of a private network into an insecure network such as the Internet.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a private data network that makes use of the public telecommunication infrastructure, maintaining privacy through the use of a security procedures and tunneling protocol (tunneling is using the Internet as part of a private secure network. The "tunnel" is the particular path that a given company message or file might travel through the Internet).A virtual private network can be contrasted with a system of owned or leased lines that can only be used by one company. The idea of the VPN is to give the company the same capabilities at much lower cost by using the shared public infrastructure rather than a private one.
A virtual private network makes it possible to have secure sharing of public resources for data. Companies can use a private virtual network for both extranet (a private network that uses the Internet protocol and the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business to business communications and transactions as well as wide-area intranet).
Using a virtual private network involves encrypting data before sending it through the public network and decrypting it at the receiving end. An additional level of security involves encrypting not only the data but also the originating and receiving network addresses.
Metronet Systems, Inc., sells, installs and supports hardware and software products from Microsoft, 3Com, Intel, Cisco and several other companies to provide a cost effective secure communication over the Internet.
VPN software is typically installed as part of a company's firewall server.
