Mobile Virtual Private Network (Mobile VPN)

A Mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows continuous access to network resources and information through mobile devices. Designed for today’s wireless, mobile computing environments, Mobile VPNs allow users to roam easily among various wired and wireless networks. According to the Yankee Group, more than 50 million US workers are considered mobile, defined as spending more than 20 percent of the time away from their primary workspace. [http://www.netmotionwireless.com/assets/yankee.pdf "Maximizing Mobile Worker Productivity," "The Yankee Group", January 2008] .] Of this group, field workers and mobile specialty workers account for approximately 55 percent or 27.5 million workers. It is this latter group that often utilize Mobile VPNs.

Different VPNs for Different Conditions

VPNs are network transport protocols designed to secure remote network access. Traditional VPNs (e.g., IPSec and SSL) and Mobile VPNs all provide a high level of security when properly configured and used. All employ authentication and encryption technologies to protect networks from unauthorized users and to secure data transmissions to and from devices, but they behave differently in wireless conditions. Mobile VPNs are designed for challenges associated with mobile computing such as wireless security, coverage gaps, roaming performance and handheld device support.

Features of a Mobile VPN

*Application Compatibility— Mobile VPNs enable any application that works in a wired environment to work wirelessly.
*Secure, Reliable Network and Application Access—Mobile VPNs use authentication and encryption technologies to secure network access and protect the data transmission to and from the device. In addition, many Mobile VPNs maintain the secure VPN tunnel and sustain application sessions as users roam among wired and wireless networks, enter coverage gaps or suspend/resume devices.

*Accelerated Performance— Some Mobile VPNs integrate link optimization and data and image compression to improve performance over bandwidth-constrained or wireless networks.

*Broad Device Support —Mobile VPNs provide the same features on mobile devices as on laptops.

Vendors

*Columbitech
*NeoAccel
*NetMotion Wireless

References

External links

* Search Mobile Computing [http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,290660,sid40_gci1227022,00.html]
* Network World [http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2006/112706-mobile-ssl-vpn-yes.html]
* Computerworld [http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9002090&pageNumber=1]
* VPN Consortium [http://www.vpnc.org/]
* Wall Street Journal [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119717610996418467.html]