Virtual private networks

Virtual private networks is a concept that will have a significant impact on the future of business communications. The virtual private network (VPN) offers a fresh, innovative approach to the traditional problem of supplying efficient, reliable, easy to use telecommunications for large, geographically dispersed groups of subscribers. VPN replaces existing private networks with a flexible architecture that is easily managed and at the same time provides enhanced services. As the number of business locations in the private network increases, so do the interconnect requirements and the network complexity. Traffic engineering and network management become more important and more costly. Indeed some large private networks can exceed the size and complexity of smaller PTTs. It is here that the virtual private network first shows its benefits allowing the private networks' operation to retain an apparently simple network without any loss of interconnect functionality. >