VPN monitoring tools: what components to consider the precise options

VPN monitoring tools have become popular these days due to the booming of cloud computing. It is a gateway for managing business-critical resources securely.

VPN or Virtual private networks basically indicates a programming tool for device connection. As an encrypted tuner, VPN monitoring tools offer secured access to a private network, ensuring the network performance is secret.

In the real world, the threat of cyber-attacks forces companies and corporate building their private network. By which, their business data, information, and operation could be protected. Basically, to prevent data leaks, those network systems are complex progress, which denied access from undefined IP addresses. Especially with software development companies, the whole system is vulnerable to cyber-attack from hackers, rivals, or other destructive forces.

Unfortunately, COVID19 and the rise of remote workers are challenging private network system. Evidently, work-from-home workers find hard to access company network with their home IP. Besides, companies got stuck in protecting their data when many processes and execution have to be done right in employees’ homes. In this case, the need for a VPN monitoring tool is emphasized. It allows connecting private computers to a corporate network. In this article, we indicate all you need to know about VPN monitoring tools.

VPN monitoring tools for business purposes

Absolutely, VPN monitoring tools might be familiar for individual activities. However, it has become mainstream for business purposes. As mention above, complex network systems built to control the data flow of companies need support tools in monitoring throughput or latency of the network performances.

Overview of VPN monitoring

To understand the concept of VPN monitoring, we start with a general question:

What are VPN and their purpose?  

As mention above, VPN offers a secure tunnel connecting private computers and company servers. In cases of working from home, for example, workers should be granted remote access to connect with company computers. Generally, they need to use a VPN client tool with a username and password, which need to be in the providers’ database. Therefore, VPN clients will generate an encrypted tunnel, allowing users’ computers to access private networks.

For generating this tunnel, VPN client tools involve in two protocols, protecting the access privately and securely:

• IPsec: set up separately in each device, creating direct access to a target network
• SSL: is a web-based protocol, which is no need to install on your device. Using SSL, users can only access to target application instead of entire networks. Due to no installation requires, SSL protocols are more common than IPsec.

For the definition, VPN monitoring indicates the act of maintaining and protecting a VPN tunnel. Despite from VPN clients, VPN monitoring tools refers to support private network owner controlling access from users. It also helps with decentralized access to users, of which owners could grant part of access to a specific account to protect enterprise secrets. At present, VPN monitoring tools, as completed packages, consist of both VPN clients and VPN monitoring, which offer higher convenience.

Types of VPN

The working mechanism of VPN monitoring tools highly depends on types of VPN, including size to size or remote access VPN.

1. Size-to-size VPN

With size-to-size VPN, device capacity and accessibility might be constrained. It drove the connection directly with two devices. Evidently, size-to-size VPN refers to the static or permanent connection, in which changes might rarely occur in the system. It directly functionates the encrypted link via the IPsec network. In the world of cloud services, size-to-size VPN showed its drawback of underperformance. Due to is the inflexibility of cloud sharing, it is less prevalent for corporation usage.

2. Remote access VPN

With remote access, this type of VPN monitoring tool has two separated execution control:

• End-user experience monitoring: it forces IT administrators, to handle several distributing factors. Two types of end-users need to be monitored. The first one is users of Slip tunneling. Of which only their traffic for accessing the network passes on the VPN tunnel. In this case, VPN monitoring tools only control the traffic subset. Other end users’ types refer to those not using split tunneling. The entire traffic would be driven to the VPN tunnel. Therefore, the performance of the target network would influence the end-user devices. The responsibility of the IT administrator in monitoring user experience is clearly separated two types of users and give them the best option in using VPN tools
• Performance monitoring: This control manages the connection condition between user devices and the target network. In other words, IT admittaturs use remote access VPN to create and maintain firewalls, protecting the network. From the software development perspective, performance monitoring expresses the idea of access control. IT staff could limit the numbers of active accounts, which could pass the firewall. Moreover, the monitoring process needs to execute continuously. The firewall performance and the security level of accessing the environment need to be tracked in real-time.

The virtual private network example

Depending on the purpose of usage, we mention some typical representatives in the market:

• Client-based VPN: Cisco Any connect, Palo Alto networks
• What is VPN in android: NordVPN, ExpressVPN
• What is VPN on phone: Surfshark, Hotspotshield

VPN monitoring tools: Features and Benefit

In the user context, VPN monitoring tools expect to offer a more secure environment and deter privacy violations by masking internet protocols.

Features of VPN security

The truth is you cannot hide when using the internet. Your data are collected automatically on a real-time basis, which puts your privacy at risk. To solve those threats, VPN security features could help:

VPN monitoring tools: features benefits

1. Data protection: VPN monitoring tools would not store your browsing, file sharing, and internet activities to protect your freedom in using the internet. This benefit is highly profitable for you in executing the online payment. It protects your credentials from being stolen or data leakage.  
2. Enable access remotely: sporting working from home or working outside the office. With actual IP provided, your device network act in the same IP with office devices.   
3. Private and Anonymity: VPN monitoring tools allow you to hide your actual identity behind the screen by assigning your anonymity. The mode is remarkably private and secure than the incognito mode in browsers  
4. Performance improvement: VPN tools can bypass blocked websites and internet filters in controlling the worldview of users. Additionally, boosting bandwidth and efficiency of internet connection are additional benefits of VPN tools  

VPN monitors: How to choose the right solution

VPN services are believed to be an innovative and profitable sector among software development solutions or SaaS. You can find several options of VPN monitoring tool providers in the market. Indeed, not all of them satisfy your need and wants. So, how can you shortlist them to make the final decision?

Based on VPN features benefits and mechanisms, you should consider six critical sides when assessing VPN tools: 

In conclusion: VPN monitoring tools involve in both business and private activities. Users benefit the most from security features in using VPN tools these days. However, with the rapid growth of VPN SaaS, companies should be carefully considered when choosing vendors. As the top software development company in Vietnam, Adamo Software will be an ideal IT vendor for your business.