| Configuring the WSM using Device Manager |
A virtual private network (VPN) is a connection that has the appearance and advantages of a dedicated link, but occurs over a shared network. Using tunneling, data packets are transmitted across a routed network, such as the Internet, in a private tunnel that simulates a point-to-point connection. This enables network traffic from many sources to travel via separate tunnels across the infrastructure. It also enables traffic from many sources to be differentiated, for directing to specific destinations at specific levels of service.
VPNs provide:
Since most of the data sent over a VPN is encrypted, network devices cannot use information inside the packet to make intelligent routing decisions.
See also: