Using a VPN server at work-from-home: How to ensure it can handle the load
A VPN server performance is likely to be good under normal circumstances when only a small number of employees work from home. VPNs, however, may not have the ability to handle the load if all of the team members are working remotely. And cannot handle using the network at the same time. The result can be significant slowdowns and even prevent some users from connecting to a VPN.
Secure communication is essential for remote employees who use equipment from diverse sources. For example – laptops or proprietary computers – to access a company’s computing resources. These include email, calendars, files, databases, optimized networks, and more.
Traditionally, VPNs have been used for remote access security. Use these best practices to ensure your VPN can support your workforce during peak times.
Your VPN server infrastructure: How to improve it
To manage the increased VPN usage, it is obvious to expand the VPN infrastructure. It is possible to do this in several ways (and some may be done concurrently).
Increase network bandwidth for a VPN server.
In most cases, this means making sure there is enough bandwidth between the Internet and the VPN servers. Sometimes, however, it may be necessary to increase the bandwidth between the VPN server and the business resources accessed via VPN.
Set up an additional VPN server.
In addition to increasing capacity, this can also increase VPN availability, particularly when multiple servers are deployed. When a business implements load balancing, it will create a more flexible and resilient VPN infrastructure. That can transparently send users to the server to meet their needs.
Stay active with VPN server management and security.
Keep your servers up-to-date; for example, patch them completely. As a result, there are fewer chances of compromises. And VPN software flaws that could compromise the effectiveness of the VPN server.
In order to prevent the distribution of service security measures, one proactive approach is to deny them. Attackers cannot overwhelm VPN servers or the networks they use.
Expert Cisco VPN Analysts who analyze these models can provide management with information. They provide data on what the problems are and how they can be resolved.
Divide your VPN server network traffic into different flows
Some network distances can also facilitate traffic flow. VPN best practices have been to avoid shared tunneling – sharing users’ network traffic. So that only traffic that uses business resources passes through a VPN connection, and the rest bypasses it.
Separate tunneling was considered risky. Because an attacker could exploit it to pass traffic through less secure devices. Nevertheless, most network traffic today is encrypted – and many devices are connected to more than one network simultaneously. For example, a Wi-Fi network and a mobile network at the same time. So this risk has been reassessed, and several organizations now allow shared tunneling.
Users can benefit from improved performance as well as a reduction in network traffic passing through the VPN. Split tunneling, for example, allows users’ laptops to download large operating system updates directly from the vendor. Direct download is possible instead of passing those updates through the company’s VPN infrastructure.
A VPN server should no longer be used by employees in the same way
In some cases, relatively simple changes in the way people work and the processes that follow can make a big difference in VPN performance. You could, for example, vary business hours. So not everyone in the business is trying to access the VPN at the same time every day.
In addition, remote workers could perform certain tasks locally. Instead use internal business networks, as they would in the office. Rather than editing a large document remotely via a VPN, the user can download it, edit it locally, and then upload it. When editing a file, this should take a lot fewer VPN resources than using a VPN all day.
VPN architects and administrators don’t have the authority to implement changes in the way business employees do their jobs. They are uniquely qualified to monitor VPN usage and identify bottlenecks, excessive resource consumption, and other potential problems.
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