What Is a Business VPN?

Internet connections are crucial for conducting business. In this fast-paced world, companies communicate with partners, colleagues and clients through emails and cloud documents. Wi-Fi networks are a crucial part of any office building’s technology collection, and even outside of the office, there are tons of public networks to connect to. 

With so many connectivity options available, it’s important to keep your information protected from anyone who might interfere with these networks. To ensure your business’s proceedings stay private on any network your employees connect to, consider using a business virtual private network (VPN). See what you should know about getting a VPN for your business. 

What Is a VPN?

A virtual private network, or VPN, is a private Wi-Fi network you connect to on your business’s devices. A VPN’s network is encrypted, meaning it conceals the data you send and receive in a code that’s unreadable to hackers. VPNs also hide your IP address, so your internet presence remains anonymous. VPNs allow you to browse the internet safely, hidden from bad actors and viruses.

VPNs operate like a tunnel. Your devices are at one end of the cloud, and the sites you visit are at the other end. Between them is an encrypted tunnel that keeps your activity secure. You can install a VPN on any device that connects to the internet, so your business is protected wherever your employees work. 

Why Businesses Use a VPN

Businesses use VPNs to ensure sensitive company information, such as payment records and passwords, stays private. Public Wi-Fi networks are relatively easy to hack, but private company networks can also benefit from the protections a VPN provides. 

Businesses use VPNs to avoid potential data breaches. Hackers can intercept the data your business searches for and sends while connected to unprotected Wi-Fi networks and sell your valuable, private information. They can also use this unprotected data to access your company’s systems and implement malware infections. When all employees use the same protected network, everyone’s safe. 

Clients and partners are also important parties to protect, as your company’s systems house much of their information. When your clients choose to give you their business, they also trust you to keep their data secure. By using a VPN, you’re keeping this promise to them and ensuring your own information stays safe, as well.

If your company works with international groups or allows employees to travel internationally on business, you still want your information to stay protected wherever people may access it. You may also run into issues where a country your employees visit doesn’t allow access to the sites and services they need. With a VPN, your company can bypass international censorship. VPNs allow you to appear as though you’re connecting to the internet in the country where the VPN server is located.  

Types of VPNs Available for Businesses

When choosing a business VPN, first consider the needs of your company. Depending on whether your business operates in-office or with remote employees, you may need different types of VPNs to achieve the best security possible. 

Site-to-Site VPNs

Site-to-site VPNs allow users to maintain secure connections with each other in an office building and across office locations. This type of VPN extends the company’s network so the resources and protections available at one location are available at other locations, as well. Site-to-site VPNs are ideal for companies with many employees and devices because they eliminate the need for all the devices in the office to individually run the VPN service. 

Remote Access VPNs

Remote access VPNs allow users to establish secure connections with the company’s resources even when they’re away from the office. Business VPNs give employees the opportunity to work safely from anywhere, whether they always work from the comfort of their favorite neighborhood coffee shop, or they’re putting the finishing touches on a project at the airport gate. 

When accessing company information or accounts on non-office Wi-Fi networks, remote users can sign in to the VPN on whatever device they’re using. As long as it has the software capabilities to run the encryption and keep a secure connection, they can use a remote access VPN. 

5 Tips for Implementing and Using a Business VPN

Now that you’re aware of the general benefits of business VPNs, it’s time to decide what VPN service will work best for your company’s needs and goals. Here are five business VPN tips and tricks:

1. Pay for quality: VPNs are great for both business and personal use because they offer lots of protection at a low cost. Some VPNs are even free to use. However, while these free programs may be suitable for your home Wi-Fi network, you’ll want something faster and more reliable for your business. To fully secure your business’s assets, a subscription-based VPN is a worthy and affordable investment. 
2. Use a VPN service you can use with multiple devices: You want to make sure everyone who works for your company is protected, whether they’re in the office or working remotely. Depending on how and where your employees report to work, choose a VPN that can accommodate the different devices and modalities.
3. Ensure your VPN has room to grow along with your business: As your company hires more people, you want them all to have the same level of protection while using the internet and accessing your business’s sensitive information. Check up on your VPN connection during periods of company change or growth to verify that it still does what you need it to do. 
4. Install the VPN software on clean devices: Previous VPN connections can interfere with your new network. To assure a strong, uninterrupted connection, uninstall any other VPN connections your devices might have. Also, make sure the VPN you choose is compatible with other necessary software on your devices.
5. Customize your security: Cybersecurity threats are ever-evolving. Your business needs to stay alert and on top of issues that arise. Pickorchard’s iOS security services keep track of new threat developments to make sure your protections are always up-to-date. We run security audits to find vulnerabilities in your business’s networks. Our services also include protection deployment and threat response plans, so you’re protected every step of the way.  

Contact Pickorchard to Learn More

The safety of your business’s information is critical. A business VPN strengthens your security, so you can rest assured that your data is private and better protected against hackers and viruses. Whether you operate out of one location or hundreds, connecting all your devices on one encrypted network allows you to safely browse and share data between locations, colleagues and clients. 

Pickorchard offers a wide variety of services to keep your business’s technology safe and successful. Contact us today to see what protections your business’s Apple devices could benefit from and ask about our customizable security solutions!