Compensation Glossary

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) is created by establishing a virtual point-to-point connection through the use of dedicated connections or traffic encryption. It extends a private network across a public network, such as the Internet. VPN allows users to send and receive data across shared networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to a private network, the benefit being that of the functionality, security and management policies of a private network. VPNs allow employees to securely access the corporate intranet while travelling away from the office. Similarly, VPNs securely connect geographically separated offices of organizations, creating one cohesive network.