Understanding the Importance of Always-on VPN for Small Businesses
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) play an essential role in small businesses. Since IT infrastructure construction is quite expensive for small businesses, they turned to cloud security systems. However, cloud security solutions are not a hundred percent reliable. The growing number of man-in-the-middle attacks threaten small businesses’ security. The connection between the employee and the server should be protected against men-in-the-middle attacks. This is where VPNs emerge and simplify secure access of employees.
Always-on VPNs, on the other hand, refer to the VPN model that connects automatically to the network and stays active all the time. Always-on VPN guarantees that every employee will be connected to the VPN while using the Internet. No VPN connection means no Internet for always-on VPN implementations.
From the small business point of view, always-on VPNs offer plenty of advantages. Firstly, it is budget-friendly, and small businesses can afford it. Another one is small businesses can provide security for all their on-site and remote employees.
Pre-Setup Considerations: Assessing Your Business Needs
Deciding to use an always-on VPN can be challenging for many businesses. Defining the purpose might be helpful for a start. More or less, all small businesses want secure remote access, network security, and data protection. Always-on VPNs promise data security, secure connection with company resources, compliance, and network connectivity safety.
Businesses should assess their particular needs to draw an accurate always-on VPN protection plan for their security. For instance, the finance and healthcare sectors are more vulnerable to cyber issues. It is indisputable that these sectors require more protection than other ones. If you are conducting business in healthcare or finance, you must keep your always-on VPN settings tight.
Remote users and remote access are another dimension of always-on VPN consideration. In their pre-setup process, businesses should also evaluate their employee profile to decide on the accurate VPN configuration settings. Remote workers connect company servers via public Wi-Fi and risk company data more than on-site workers. Hackers can steal private data due to public Wi-Fi vulnerabilities in several methods. As a manager, it is your responsibility to regulate VPN adjustments by considering remote work vulnerabilities.
Choosing the Right Always-On VPN Provider for Your Business
Assessing business needs is the first step in choosing the right always-on VPN for a company. Businesses should determine why they need a VPN and how to protect their security with an always-on VPN. What was explained in the previous section should also be taken into account in this section.
The second step must be deciding on the right VPN provider. A proper VPN server must prioritize privacy and security. Data logging policies, encryption protocols, and secure authentication methods should be at the top of the list. VPN servers can promise an extended protection solution to their users. Remote access, on the other hand, requires further features. Always-on VPN is one of the secure remote access services that leverage corporate network security. Small companies must assess always-on VPN providers’ remote access management features.
Authentication is another concern for many small businesses. VPN connections become more reliable and scalable thanks to extensible authentication protocol solutions.
Pricing is also crucial when it comes to choosing the right VPN. As a company owner or IT manager, you can compare the pricing and subscription options of different VPN providers. VPN’s advanced features may require additional payments. If basic plans provide adequate protection for your business, you can skip advanced features and focus more on fundamental security solutions.
A Basic Overview of the VPN Setup Process
The VPN setup process can differ depending on the VPN server that you choose for your business. Best Always On VPN setup for small businesses involves deciding on a service, downloading a VPN server, installing, launching, logging, connecting, and automating.
After selecting a reputable VPN service provider, a small business should subscribe. A company can choose subscription options according to its particular needs. Then, companies must download VPN software to the business devices of employees and install it. Businesses must be sure that VPN software supports most operating systems and devices including Windows, IOS, macOS, and Android. Employees might have different devices to work with if the company does not provide a single type of device. If the VPN software that you choose does not support some employee’s devices, then you can face problems in terms of the unity of security in your network.
Step-by-Step Configuration of Always-on VPN for Beginners
- Download and Install VPN Software
As an always-on VPN newbie, your first step must be downloading and installing the always-on VPN that you choose to subscribe to or purchase. This is the same as downloading and installing any software. Companies can assist their employees in this process of VPN configuration. - Log-in
Your VPN service will provide you with a username and password. Network administrators must launch a VPN service by using these credentials. Remember that credentials should not be shared with employees or third parties. Companies use control panels to manage the VPN connection of all users and devices. It is vital for them to avoid central panel credentials being revealed since end-users should not be able to disconnect or disable the VPN connection of the company network. - Always-on VPN Configuration
This step is the heart of any always-on VPN protection. You can configure an always-on VPN in the settings section. This section will show you VPN protocols that you can choose. Most of the VPN services recommend one or two VPN protocols to their users. L2TP//IPSec and IKEv2 are the popular ones. - Set up an Always-on Connection and Save
This step is about toggling the always-on VPN switch to the on. After your VPN connection is established you can configure the VPN connection as an always-on VPN solution. Remember to save your settings. - Test Your Connection
The last step is checking your always-on VPN connection. After you complete all these steps, business devices will automatically connect to the VPN.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During VPN Setup
Neglecting updates is a very common and risky mistake in a VPN setup. Failing in regular updates and re-configurations weaken businesses’ secure access to the corporate network. Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager and customized IPsec cryptography algorithms can add an extra layer of protection to your VPN setup. Moreover, they relieve you from the burden of update negligence.
Unreliable and free VPN services are another mistake in the VPN setup. Some companies choose VPN services according to their attractive prices or fancy advertisements. However, selecting a reliable and reputable VPN service requires specific parameter checks. The technology, VPN protocol, and active directory domain services that VPN service providers use can tell you much about its accountability.
Testing and Verifying Your VPN Connection
You can test and verify the VPN solution that you established. An always-on VPN solution must work flawlessly. This is how they can provide network access protection and automatic Wi-Fi security. To test VPN connectivity, the first step is to check your IP addresses to be sure that they match the IP address of the VPN server that you have connected to. If your IP address matches the server’s location, it means that you have a VPN connection in your device. Do not worry about finding your IP address. You can type “What is my IP address?” in your web browser then the web browser will display your IP address in seconds.
Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your Always-on VPN Connection
VPN technology has been evolving, and so are the cyber threats. In the face of new threats, always-on VPNs can lose their effect over time. The level of protection might decrease. However, small businesses can maintain their always-on VPN connections via regular updates, and proper configurations. Reviewing logs and testing the connection are also key factors of VPN connection maintenance. After realizing weak points, companies and VPN services can troubleshoot connection issues, and slow performance which are the common challenges of an always-on VPN connection. Today, take the first step of an always-on VPN journey and enjoy the secure network environment of your business.
