How to Select the Right VPN for Your Business

This article is the second in a 2-part series on VPNs. In Part 2, we talk about selecting the right VPN for your business.

Which One Is Right for You?

No matter what type of business you run, if anyone in the company ever needs to get onto the Internet, it likely makes sense to have a VPN in place. VPNs are quite inexpensive and provide you with a lot of great benefits. There are, however, hundreds of different options to choose from, so how do you know which one is right for your company? When browsing the different VPN options, make sure to look for features such as:

• Security experience of the vendor
  

  There has been an explosion in the number of VPN providers, some of which may be less experienced and knowledgeable. Look for an established vendor with a deep background in cybersecurity.

• The vendor’s home country
  

  This is important because the vendor is required to follow the laws of their country, and these vary from country to country. Some may require companies to collect, store and provide data to authorities, which will compromise your privacy. In this case you may want to work with an IT service provider with expertise in data security management.

• VPN servers where you need them

  The closer they are, the faster your performance will be, because the data will not need to travel as far. An VPN provider that has an extensive network of servers has a likelihood of being able to route your data to a server close to you. If you have employees in other parts of the world, a provider that has VPN servers located around the globe would be the best choice.

  It is not always the best choice to select a provider with the most servers, however. This is because VPN providers typically rent their servers, and having thousands of them may mean they have less control of their entire server network. It is better to pick the provider with servers that are located close to where you need them.

• Unlimited Bandwidth

  This means no matter how much data you use, your data rate will never be throttled once you go beyond a certain limit of data usage.

• Low ping times to VPN servers

  The lower the ping times, the lower the delays will be when data is being passed back and forth between the devices on your network.

• End-to-end encryption
  

  A VPN encrypts your data/message throughout the whole journey between two end-points. It stays encrypted while traveling though intermediate servers and neither the service provider, nor your ISP or any other third party can access it.

• One-click ability to change server location

  VPN allow you to select the location of the VPN server. When your data goes through a VPN, the location tag on the data being transmitted becomes the VPN’s location tag. This allows you to throw off online location trackers which are trying to track where you are located. It also provides an additional level of privacy which is especially important if you are a journalist trying to protect the identity of a source when writing about sensitive topics.

• Session Logging Policy

  Make sure session logs are deleted at the end of each session, not stored. You can check this by reviewing their privacy policy.

• Be careful when looking at online reviews and “how to select VPN” articles.
  

  Look for independent reviews rather than paid ones. Some “articles” are thinly veiled frameworks for advertising promotions.

If you are still not sure which VPN is right for you, or you want some help getting everything set up, GSDSolutions is here to help. We provide IT support in Mountain View and throughout the Bay Area and Central Valley for small to mid-sized companies looking to optimize their use of technology.

Give us a call, at (650) 282-7695, send us an email at info@GSDSolutions.io, or click the button below and fill out the contact form today to set up a free, no-obligation consultation and let us know how we can assist!