White Paper
5.5Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Virtual Private Networks are secured private network connections. VPNs typically employ some combination of encryption, digital certificates, strong user authentication and access control to provide security to the traffic they carry. They usually provide connectivity to many devices behind a VPN concentrator. The network can be broken into two portions, protected and unprotected:
1.The area behind the VPN server is referred to as the “protected” portion of the network. Sensitive, private network equipment such as file servers, email servers and databases would reside in this portion.
2.The area in front of the VPN server is referred to as the “unprotected” or demilitarized zone (DMZ), where the wireless APs and less sensitive network equipment may reside.
Utilizing VPNs can be an extremely effective method of securing a wireless network. Many customers have been implementing VPNs to maintain the integrity of their wireless LANs by requiring wireless users who need access to the protected portion of the network to connect through a firewall.
Voice devices, such as the NetLink Wireless Telephone do not require access to the protected portion of the network. Placing the NetLink Wireless Telephones, NetLink SVP Server(s), and NetLink Telephony Gateways in the demilitarized zone, and requiring data users to utilize the VPN ensures that the network is protected against hackers seeking to access sensitive information within the network core.
| NetLink | NetLink Wireless |
VPN Concentrator | Telephones | |
Telephony |
| |
| Gateway |
|
Devices that require access to the network core utilize a secure VPN connection (dashed line).
Protected Network Core | Unprotected DMZ |
Deploying NetLink Wireless Telephones with a VPN
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