Virtual Private Networks, Second Edition

Chapter 11. A VPN Scenario

If you haven’t gotten enough of the virtual private network yet, this chapter will cover a real, live, up and running VPN. We’ve covered the theory and some general cost-to-benefit analysis, and now we move on to some actual products working in a production environment. Though we have used specific products here like Ascend and Cisco, you may well find that other solutions better fit your enterprise. In other words, this chapter isn’t VPN law, just an example.

The Topology

We’ll call the company in this case study Immediate PC. It manufactures and sells computer parts and peripherals.

About a year ago, Immediate PC made the commitment to standardize its network communications between its various sites over the Internet. Naturally, their main concerns were security, cost, and reliability.

Communication needs at Immediate PC are like those at most companies. Sales agents in the field must communicate with manufacturing managers at the factories to order and ensure production of needed stock. The retail store arm of the company also communicates with shipping, manufacturing, and several other departments on a daily basis. Various factories and other divisions across the country must send and obtain data to keep their operations flowing.

Several different platforms are used at various levels of the organization. The main corporate network is comprised of Windows NT servers and Windows NT or Windows 95 workstations. Additionally, there are several Unix servers ...