If you consider just the broad strokes, there’s some common ground between VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and virtualized machines.
Both concepts embody a ‘virtual’ element – that’s to say, both are machines with some geographic distance between the CPU and location (or apparent location) of the user – but, in actual fact, the two are very different systems with very different applications.
Here, we’ll explore exactly what both VPNs and virtualization involve – and look at the key differences between the two technologies.
What is a VPN?
If you’re planning to compare and contrast Virtual private networks and virtualization, it’s important to learn how VPN networks operate. Essentially, a VPN operates as a private internet connection for the device you’re using – although in reality, you’re actually operating over any internet connection.
Your connection becomes private because of the way a VPN application communicates with a distant server. When you perform any action that involves data being sent from your device, the VPN software on your device creates a ‘tunnel’ – through which encrypted information is transmitted. Because of this encryption, the service you’re trying to access won’t understand what’s being requested – so, your information arrives at a VPN server, before continuing its journey unencrypted – but with no trail that can be followed back to you and your device. When services send information to you, the information that’s sent can only be traced as far as the VPN server you’re connected to – before it’s sent through that same encrypted tunnel that the request came from.
When using a VPN, you’re relying on the power of the device that you’re using to perform all the tasks you require – whether that’s locally; with applications that don’t communicate with the internet – or for tasks that require this encrypted and anonymous way of transmitting and receiving data.
What are the benefits of using a VPN?
Individuals and businesses use VPNs for a host of reasons – and they’re becoming increasingly popular as more stringent rules around data protection come into force.
Remote access to business networks
Virtually every business holds sensitive data – from customer records and employee information to financial data and intellectual property. When you open network access to guests – or access your network using insecure methods, you run the very real risk of this data being lost. With a VPN, you can be confident that all your data is transmitted safely – even if the connection accessing your network is public or compromised.
Accessing location specific content
There are instances where websites and web-based services lock their content so it can only be accessed by people in specific geographical locations. If you want to side-step these controls, you can access a VPN server based in a white-listed country – allowing your access worldwide content with moving from your desk.
Avoiding retargeting and cookies
You don’t always want your footsteps followed when you’re exploring the internet – and, with a VPN, you have the ability to appear anonymous – leaving no trail back to you, your location, your device or your data.
There’s no one reason that VPNs are used – instead, the increased security they offer has a broad appeal – whatever your online goals.
What is virtualization?
So, with an understanding of how a VPN works – it’s useful to get a quick overview of virtualisation. Again, virtualisation requires an internet connection between a device and server – but, in many ways, the working relationship is turned back-to-front when compared with a VPN.
Virtualization as a concept has only really moved into the mainstream because of increased internet circuit speeds and leaps forward in cloud-computing. Rather than having a powerful computer on or under your desk, virtualisation allows CPU power to be held in a central location – with your device accessing only what’s needed to perform the tasks you’re working on.
In most cases, we have individual devices for interface reasons; two people trying to use a laptop at the same time would be impossible – but in reality, even an average CPU backed by an average amount of RAM could perform the tasks required by a couple of light users. Virtualisation is this concept of sharing this computing power – but done on a large scale. A potentially large number of users access applications and systems that are running on a single central server – usually using a very basic machine that generally only facilitates this connection. For all intents and purposes, the end-user experience is the same as using services that are installed on their local device – but actually, data is being relayed over a quick internet connection as the user interfaces with the application.
What are the benefits of virtualization?
Virtualized machines (VMs) are becoming a mainstay of modern businesses and startup companies – and that popularity is all to do with the efficiency and cost benefits that VMs bring.
A virtual machine with the right hypervisor system can act like a series of powerful servers – so why would you use a series of powerful, costly, and power-hungry servers? Equally, why would you opt for physical machines that rely on on-site engineer support – when you can have virtual machines that can be worked on with just a few mouse-clicks?
Increasingly, modern businesses require ‘resource agility’ – the ability to quickly adapt their tech needs to the changing needs of the marketplace they’re in. In the time it takes to talk to a managed service provider about sourcing new hardware, the same call could have brought online the additional computing power needed to quadruple the size of the business and number of end-users. When time, cost and adaptability are all of the essence – virtualization makes a lot of sense.
VPNs and virtualization – the key difference
When you stand VPNs and virtualized ways of working side-by-side, you can see some very clear differences. Most significantly, the motivation behind using a VPN is security – the right VPN can be the difference between transmitting sensitive data in a way that adheres to data privacy laws – or exposing that data to the possibility of theft. While there are some security benefits that come when data is stored and accessed centrally, security is generally well behind efficiency and cost-reduction in the virtualisation model.
In a world where our businesses and organisations increasingly rely on data being both available and safe, we will almost certainly find IT departments and service providers who are keen to have VPNs and virtualization working hand-in-hand.
