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Virtual Private Networks and the Mobile Sales Force

January 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

As customers grow more sophisticated in their demands, and the global market creates greater and greater competition; manufacturers and suppliers need every advantage they can grasp to maintain and increase their customer base. Many times, the difference between a sale and losing that sale to a competitor depends more upon issues such as availability, delivery schedule and customer service than they do on pricing and model availability.

In this type of market, it is essential to get the latest and best information into the hands of the sales force. They need to know on a moment-by-moment basis the availability of products, delivery schedules, restocking schedules, and even manufacturing schedules. This vital information may be just the key to unlock a big sale, especially when the customer is in a bind and needs fast delivery.

Once the order is placed, the sales force needs the ability to enter that order immediately into the system, so that planners can get a jump on scheduling, producing, and delivering that order to meet the customer’s needs.

Enter the virtual private network. With VPNs, companies can give their mobile sales force direct access to the company mainframe at all times. All the critical information that sales professionals have been screaming to have access to for the last couple of centuries can be right at their fingertips. Instead of having to get on the phone and call the home office, they can connect to the company’s virtual private network from wherever they are, and have real answers for the customer.

This could actually eliminate the stereotype of the less than honest salesman, who tells their customers whatever they want to hear, because they don’t have an answer. Having those answers available eliminates the need to make up something to satisfy the customer. When they have questions about the status of their order, the sales professional can give them an accurate answer in minutes, instead of having to wait for hours or even days. That’s customer service.

 

 

Filed Under: Networks Tagged With:

VPNs – A Tool for Maintaining Communications Security

January 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

With the constant threat of hackers and identity theft, more and more people and companies are seeking ways to insure that their access to the Internet is secure. Sensitive personal information, company financial data, product development documentation and corporate strategy are all things that travel across the Internet; but all of them need protection from digital eavesdroppers, corporate competitors and those who steal identities for financial gain.

Since virtual private networks are all encrypted, they automatically provide a high degree of communications security. While no encryption algorithm is perfect, they definitely make it harder for hackers to read sensitive information.

Think of it like this; locking your house isn’t a foolproof way of making sure a thief doesn’t come in and steal your new plasma television, it definitely makes it harder. If you succeed in making it hard enough for that thief, he’ll give up, and find an easier house to break into. Crooks are lazy, that’s why they are crooks. The Internet version isn’t any less lazy, if anything, they’ve taken laziness to new heights.

As I said, no encryption software is perfect, if you don’t believe me, just ask the mathematicians at Fort Meade (the National Security Agency). I’ll guarantee you; they can crack your most secure communications. But, why would they want to? Unless you are talking about a terrorist plot, planning to commit a major felony, or preparing to assassinate the president, they don’t have time to waste with you.

So, that just leaves the amateurs to crack your communications. Like I said, they’re lazy. Why should they work to crack your encrypted communications, sent through a virtual private network, when there are so many other people who don’t bother sending their communications with any security? That’s the best security you can get. So, thank those other people, while your VPN’s encryption protects you.

 

Filed Under: Hardware Tagged With:

Secure Video Conferencing via VPN

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

One of the newest uses of virtual private networks is in the area of secure videoconferencing. Just like other video conferencing services, this allows users in multiple places to dial in to a central hub, enter an access code for their conference, and allow the VPN to connect them all together. This is an “on demand” service, which means that pre-planning and reservations are not required.

This is a  real breakthrough for videoconferencing services; allowing customers the security of a VPN, developed on a platform which is compatible with whatever network protocol the various clients are using, even if they are using different network protocols.

In this case, the virtual private network is traveling through the telecommunications “cloud” of the phone company. This allows for broadband transmission, without data packet loss and the typical latency of the Internet. An added benefit is the capability to transmit HD video images.

Although initiating from Canada, this secure video conferences service is available on an international bases. This service is a great boon to business, having the potential of providing enormous savings in travel costs both between a company’s various locations and to visit vendors. Since the system readily communicates with whatever system the clients are utilizing, video conferencing is not limited to just sites that are on the same system.

Since this is a fee-based service offered to companies, there is no “up-front” cost associated with purchasing large, expensive videoconferencing systems. Rates are competitive with non-secure services, providing the security upgrade without significant const increase.

For any company that needs to maintain security, yet also needs the speed and convenience of teleconferencing, this is an excellent option. Sensitive matters, such as design innovations, can be discussed, without the risk of leaking to competitors or the media. Decisions can be made instantaneously, instead of waiting for a team to visit the remote site, and return to render their report. Overall, it looks like a win-win situation.

 

Filed Under: Private Networks Tagged With:

Information Packets – Sending Your Data Through Your VPN

January 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Information to be transferred through a virtual private network is never sent as an entire block of information. This would increase communications problems on the Internet, increase the possibility of information becoming lost, and also make that information available for others to trap and access in route. Instead, the data being transferred is broken down into packets, which are then sent through the Internet.

A packet of information consists of a block of user information (called the payload) wrapped in the necessary control information used by the packet preparation and reception software. A checksum is used instead of standard parity checking to insure the accuracy of data transmission.  Additional information about the sender and receiver, packeting protocol used, information priority, and how that packet is to be re-assembled at its destination.

Individual packets may travel through the Internet by different routes; all of them arriving at the destination to be reassembled, stripped of the control information, and presented to the receiving computer as if it had just been handed-off through internal communications. Even if information is lost or corrupted in transit, it doesn’t cause a problem for the users. Control software automatically recognizes the problem as the data is being reassembled and requests that the missing or corrupted information be resent.

There are a number of different packeting protocols and programs available for use by your company. As with any other software choice, there are tradeoffs in deciding which one to use. Your Information Technology department is best able to sort through all the differences in these programs and protocols to determine which would provide the best service for your company’s needs.

It is this packeting capability that makes it possible to utilize public communications networks, such as the Internet to create a virtual private network. Otherwise, the sheer volume of information sent as a single block from a company’s remote location to their main office might be enough to disrupt overall communications on part of the Internet.

 

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With:

Using the Cloud for Personal Purposes

December 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment

With the immense popularity of Microsoft’s Take Me to the Cloud line of commercials, more people are aware of the idea of this idea that the home desktop is usable in remote locations. This system, called a virtual private network, is a way that you can access your information from a remote location anytime you need it.

The VPN is primarily a business need. Many companies need to send out employees to remote locations, either to work with clients or to make presentations. Access to the company’s information while on location is invaluable to these employees.

The VPN can benefit people for personal reasons, too, though. One of the benefits is that you can save video that you would like to see on your home computer and then watch it using software like vlc media player while you are waiting somewhere else. You also can work on projects, like cropping pictures of the kids to print for your scrapbook and share and swap files using Ares. Being able to spend your time this way makes getting stuck waiting a little more pleasant.

Also many people use their cache to save passwords and other information, rarely committing this information to memory. That can be an inconvenience when you need to refill a prescription but do not know your pharmacy password, for instance. Simply log onto the VPN and find all of your information just as if you were at home. In a world with too much information to remember, the VPN can help make managing your personal life a bit easier.

SSo while a personal VPN account may seem like a luxury that has no practical purpose, consider all of the times that you could use a laptop, or even coffee shop terminal, to access your information from your personal computer. You will have fewer headaches and less worry about forgetting vital information while you’re gone.

Filed Under: Computer, Internet Tagged With: , , , ,