Many companies are investigating methods to bring corporate security measures into workers’ personal environments.
That is why VPN concentrator is increasingly becoming popular. If used properly, it allows workers to safely access the company’s internal network from anywhere in the world.
In addition, these have features that can help with productivity. But what exactly is a VPN (Virtual Private Network) concentrator, and how does it work? If you want to know about this, then this article is for you.
What is a VPN concentrator?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) Concentrator is a networking tool that enables numerous VPN connections to share a single network. It typically has the same function as a VPN router but on a massive scale. Those who routinely hire salespeople or other employees who must travel to different regions of the world will find this to be an excellent solution for their company’s needs.
What is a VPN concentrator for?
Establishing and configuring communication tunnels, authenticating users, allocating tunnel or IP addresses, encrypting and decrypting data, and guaranteeing end-to-end data transmission are all functions that VPN concentrators are built to handle.
With the help of VPN concentrators, users can also make a remote connection to a network. Installing VPN concentrators also enables numerous users on a single device to communicate with users on a separate network.
Moreover, Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks, in which an attacker eavesdrops on legitimate traffic and takes control of it, can be thwarted by using a virtual private network (VPN) concentrator or router.
Who should use a VPN concentrator?
Businesses and other organizations that run several networked systems should use VPN concentrators to connect all of those systems to a single virtual private network. VPNs prevent data from being snooped on, which is essential if system operators value privacy.
Connections that can be protected by VPN concentrators could be a shared public network like the internet, or it could be a dedicated private network like a leased telephone line.
Benefits of using a VPN concentrator
Here are some benefits or advantages of using a VPN concentrator:
Remote access to the company network
Users can securely access the company network from anywhere in the world they can get online. The VPN Concentrator modifies the path its data packets take over the network. Once the encryption process is complete, the data and requests are sent to the business server via an encrypted tunnel. In most cases, the VPN tunnel is established instantaneously upon the initiation of a communication request.
You receive data as soon as you launch the app
As soon as you launch the app, it will begin building a connection to the VPN concentrator so that you may begin receiving data.
You have a secure (encrypted) connection
To provide a secure connection to the company network at all times, you can configure some applications to launch automatically upon powering on the device, using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) concentrator as the intermediary.
It acts as a specialized router
A virtual private network (VPN) has a firewall, and other capabilities of multipurpose routers/ Protocols and algorithms used are more advanced.
The differences in VPN concentrator between the VPN server and VPN router
VPN concentrators are sometimes mistaken for VPN servers or VPN routers. However, these terms are very different. Here are their differences:
VPN Server vs. VPN Concentrator
For both the VPN server and VPN concentrator, data and network traffic are encrypted. However, the latter utilizes encrypted tunneling techniques to protect sent information. In other words, the concentrator is like a massive VPN server.
They are front-and-center in the network, often sitting right next to or even beneath the firewall. There is special software included with this piece of hardware that counts the active VPN connections.
Moreover, unlike VPN servers, VPN concentrators are rarely used outside of corporate networks. They are most common in large business networks with many remote workers. It’s also widely used by the military and other institutions where a trustworthy remote connection is mission-critical.
Concentrator vs. VPN Router
There is much variation between them in terms of the apps you may use, the functions they provide in the background, and the degree of remote access they are capable of. That is why with regard to the differences between the two, the answer depends on the specific router model being discussed.
A VPN concentrator could be a smart choice for an industrial solution for a medium to a large company, provided the cost is not an issue. In contrast, the virtual private network (VPN) router is your best option if you have a small or medium-sized business. Through this, you can increase security at a far lower cost.
Popular brands of VPN concentrators
Just like VPNs themselves, there are a number of VPN concentrator manufacturers. Its cost is largely computed through its capability– the number of simultaneous VPN connections and the maximum throughput it can handle. Popular names in the industry include the ones listed below.
Cisco Meraki
Aside from being known for having concentrators that are easy to set up, these also work well for large corporations.
ShoreTel
ShoreTel’s VPN concentrators allow you to set up secure IP telephony networks remotely, protecting your IP phones from unauthorized access.
HP
This company is a market leader in VPN concentrators. You can link your business system to users in different locations using their devices.
Aruba
Aside from HP, Aruba also holds one of the two top spots in the Desktop/Laptop and Mobile categories.
Frequently asked questions
When is a VPN concentrator not necessary?
A VPN concentrator is unnecessary if a standard VPN would do. For instance, if you are part of a large organization with many remote workers that need to connect to a single network, you no longer need a VPN concentrator.
To what machine should I install the VPN concentrator?
Put a virtual private network concentrator on every machine your telecommuting workers use.
What is the typical price tag for a VPN server hub?
The typical cost of a VPN concentrator is roughly $500, with prices ranging from about $200 to $1,440.
Bottomline
The rise of telecommuting has resulted in the spread of corporate security concerns. This change can expose us if we don’t have the proper security measures in place.
Fortunately, we have the VPN. the Virtual Private Network (VPN) concentrator is one of the market’s most advanced security network equipment, and it can help you protect your organization’s data, communications, and remote workers.
