VPN Scalability

 A Scalable IPSec VPN Solution

In technology and product selection, scalability is the issue that differentiates large businesses from small ones. Big, complex environments face a range of issues that don’t exist for small users. Problems that are manageable for a small business often are magnified into crisis dimensions in a large organization. VPNs are especially sensitive to scalability. One reason for this sensitivity is that VPNs combine communications and security – two enterprise-level issues that have pervasive impact inside the corporation and outside as well. Low cost is another reason that scalability is inherently important for VPNs. Any solution that offers to save as much as 90% of a corporation’s long distance carrier charges will be considered, inevitably, for wider use in the corporation.

VPNs create a management and security layer that overlays and enhances public or private networks. The layer provides a seamless, consistent service level to managers, users, and even partners – anyone using the VPN. But communications security can’t be delivered from a central system the way mainframe services radiate through a host network. VPNs require a hardware or software unit at the ends of each secure link, whether the end point is the front door of your corporation or the laptop of a field salesperson. For cost and performance requirements, VPN units should be as diverse as the user communities in which they operate.

Scalability Equates to Cost Efficiency

Using cost efficiency to compare different VPN solutions, the first measure is the direct price. Unit price is important for several VPN applications. In simplest terms, installing a VPN unit (hardware or software) equates to securing communications to and from a point on your network. You want to be able to secure links on your network where you need security, without having to adjust the decision based on the cost of a VPN unit. That means you need access to low cost VPN units.

Unit cost is also important for scalability. Most sites and network services will demand increasing bandwidth and speed. Low unit cost provides an entry level cost that can be extremely important in a growing network. As your needs grow, and depending on the design of a VPN product line, you may be able to get increases in performance by adding units and using the new, aggregate performance of the combined units.

Another time that VPN unit cost is important is when you’re building an extranet. Extranets are becoming a key business platform. Some of your business partners may not care about the cost of the extranet, but usually it’s easier to gain acceptance from a business partner when the cost of the solution is low.

Besides direct cost, another aspect of VPN cost is the availability of form factors. In a large and diverse environment, the one-size-fits-all type of VPN can become a very expensive solution. VPN units need to be available as standalone network appliances, PCI card units for network hardware integration, and software programs for individual users.

Another cost factor is interoperability. When a VPN scales to the needs of a large organization, a basic requirement is support for a wide range of equipment, protocols, and site requirements. To avoid very high potential cost, VPN products should be capable of supporting the environment rather than requiring the environment to adapt to the VPN.

The SonicWALL Scalable VPN

SonicWALL VPN products usually have the lowest price per unit in every performance category, often at half the price of competitors. SonicWALL’s prices measured by cost per kilobyte encrypted are consistently low across the entire spectrum of the product line. SonicWALL products are available in a complete range of interoperable form factors. They integrate cost effectively with a very extensive number of installed systems and site characteristics.

Examining the feasibility and choice of a VPN begins with an inventory of the user communities. These are people with whom you want to have trusted communications, enabled by a VPN. Some VPN solutions may serve a particular segment of the business very well, but be totally unsuitable for the remaining segments. Ideally, a VPN should be made with scalable components that meet a variety of specific needs while integrating seamlessly into a company-wide communication framework. The list of specific needs is often extensive. The following are some of the different issues that characterize various types of facilities.

Major Corporate Facilities

The heart of the framework is the major corporate facility where the most messages are received and sent. These major facilities need large, robust VPN systems capable of handling many users and high speed, LAN-to-LAN connections. They also need easy integration with authentication servers and corporate firewalls. Corporate VPNs often need to support a very wide range of heterogeneous devices, networks, topologies, and configurations. The SonicWALL NSA and NSA E-Class series meets these requirements.

  Branch Offices

In a distributed business model, branch offices and POS locations extend a company's reach into key markets, but that communication link must be available 24x7 and be able to support the business' applications. SonicWALL VPN solutions help companies establish centralized control over remote access points and provide the robust security and performance needed for business continuance. SonicWALL VPN solutions enable secure, high-speed communications between multiple locations. The SonicWALL TZ Series provides the answer.

   Mobile Workforce

Mobile workforces usually do not have large bandwidth requirements or long online sessions. Because of mobile workforces are often large, their primary VPN system requirement is low cost. Other requirements are easy laptop computer integration and as transparent, yet secure operation as possible. SonicWALL's VPN Client Software fits the requirements.