You could say we pioneered the concept of virtually taking the office computer tools home, but I wouldn't go that far. We have been using Virtual Private Networking (VPN) now for over four years, but there are pros and cons associated with it (For one, ask my wife about the disadvantage of having access to the office computer from home. I think you will know the answer.).

Let's first look at some basic information about VPN. A virtual private network is basically a private data network that makes use of the public telecommunications infrastructure (the Internet). It maintains privacy through the use of tunneling protocol and security procedures. That's the technical definition that is widely used in the industry. I will explain tunneling protocol and issues surrounding security later in the article.

VPN's have become very popular due to the very high recurring costs (and maintenance) of private data networks. In the old days (mid 1990's and prior), if a company wanted its branch office or remote employees to access their data systems, they would contact the local or long distance telephone company and order a private data line. This data line could be anything from a 56Kbps to a T1 (1.544Mbps). This private data line would originate from the company's headquarters and terminate at the remote site. It could be configured as point-to-point or point-to-multi-point. The data line would use the local telephone company's copper lines (assuming the remote location was within the same state) to transport the data information. This type of private line transport was (and is) very expensive, but also very secure. But believe it or not, it is still widely used today.

Why have VPN's become so popular? The answer is simple: the Internet. As you may be aware, the Internet is fast becoming the transport of choice for audio, video and data. But this form of transport is not free from problems. The most troublesome issue with VPN is its form of transport, which of course is the Internet. As you know, the Internet is the largest, most unsecured and totally unmanaged network in the world. So why are companies flocking to VPN and placing very sensitive data over this unsecured transport? Two very simple reasons: cost and COST.

The explosive use of VPN's in corporate America has allowed companies to bring significant cost reductions in "recurring" telephone network costs and also has improved efficiency with employees who are required to work off site.

Some good examples of Virtual Private Networks are the ability to conduct commerce via the "secure" section of a company's website, the exchange of information such as medical referrals from the medical office to the insurance provider and accessing the corporate email server from home.

The secret weapon for operating an efficient VPN is bandwidth. Sufficient bandwidth is required both from the remote site and the host site. This is extremely important to the successful implementation of a robust VPN. Equally important to bandwidth is the ability to secure that bandwidth so that the company's corporate server isn't vulnerable for an "attack". The most common attack is a deadly virus, but if you have "holes" in the VPN, a somewhat savory hacker (or even ex-employee) could hack their way through your VPN, destroy, contaminate or even download sensitive corporate information.

So, how do you protect your company, employees and your sensitive data? First, before anything else, make sure you write and implement (have every employee sign it) a policy on remote access on sensitive company data. Then you need to partner with a company who can assist you in the design and implementation of the VPN, including a cost-effective firewall.

A firewall is a set of related programs and associated hardware installed on (or to) your server(s) that protects the resources associated with your private network from users from other networks (the Internet). In some cases, VPN networks within a network are referred to as an intranet.

This firewall is your virtual data security officer that works with your router(s) and server(s) and examines each and every data packet to determine whether to forward it to its requestor. Based on tables and software programs, once this examination is completed and everything is satisfied, the data packet is authorized to be sent or received.

Industry analysts project that VPN's will be one of the largest and fastest growing segments in the Internet /Technology industry over the next five years. Companies are rapidly replacing their legacy private line networks and implementing VPN's.

Building owners who house headquarter operations or even branch offices need to pay attention to the growth of VPN technology. As I have mentioned, VPN's have a huge appetite for bandwidth, so your building will need to be "smart" technologically. Up-to-date cabling and partnering with the right Internet Service Provider (ISP) will be a key to success. No easy task nowadays.

Remember, as a building owner or developer, accommodating this fairly new technology will be key to attracting and retaining quality tenants.