Are your business locations secured with one integrated security (management) system?
Then it is important that the data exchange from one location to another takes place securely.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection based on the Internet Protocol is an affordable and clear way to achieve this.
In this article, we’ll explain how this works.
With an IP-VPN, the data transport does not take place over the public internet, but over a private IP network that is operated by a single network service provider.
Multiple customers of this network service provider can use the same physical network.
However, the data flows of the various customers are strictly separated from each other.
Each customer has, as it were, their own private network.
Only within this network can data be exchanged between the different locations of this customer.
This goes beyond the internet; All connections run through the provider’s data center and the data cannot leave this network.
As a result, end-to-end guarantees can be given for both the availability of the IP VPN and network performance.
Although the service purchased is – as you can read – quite complex, the configuration at the customer location is simple and affordable.
For example, standard routers can be used within an IP VPN.
There is one caveat to make.
In principle, the transport of data from the various locations to the data center is unencrypted.
This means that, in theory, this data could be eavesdropped.
If this is too much of a risk, Mactwin can realize a form of encryption on these connections.
Medium and provider independent
With an IP-VPN, all (customer) locations are connected to the data center.
It is irrelevant which medium (fibre optic, 4G, VDSL, ADSL, etc.) that connection uses.
If your telecom provider is not yet connected to the data center at a certain location, an (IP-SEC VPN) tunnel can be constructed for this purpose that connects the relevant location to your IP-VPN.
As a result, this location also becomes part of your private network.
The data traffic that runs through this tunnel is encrypted, which guarantees the integrity of the data.
Redundancy
If redundancy is important to your organization, the IP-VPN solution can also be implemented redundantly.
There will then be a (passive) standby connection that is only activated (manually or via an advanced router configuration) if the primary connection is lost.
It is customary to purchase this standby connection from another telecom provider and preferably to run it via a different medium.
So if the primary connection is via fiber optics, choose a DSL standby connection, for example.
The standby connection can also be a slower connection.
After all, the point is that in the event of a failure of the primary line, the most important processes continue to run.
Usually it is not so bad if there is a temporary delay.
Reporting to external control room
There are situations in which a connection to the internet is still desired.
For example, for an alarm to be forwarded to an external control room.
After all, you don’t want it to be part of your private network.
This internet connection is therefore only possible via the data center and a highly secured internet connection.
Only certain data, such as alarms, can then be sent to the relevant control room.
Decentralized locations are never directly connected to the Internet.
Also, if you want Mactwin to monitor and manage your security systems remotely, the same kind of connection to your IP VPN can also be realized for this.
More information?
Mactwin has selected reliable network service providers to realize these types of connections.
Do you want to connect multiple locations in a simple and cost-efficient way?
Please contact one of our account managers for a tailor-made solution.