VPNs & Private Networking
What VPNs do
- Create an encrypted tunnel over an untrusted network (Internet) to connect endpoints privately.
- Protects traffic in transit and can extend private addressing across sites.
Site-to-site vs client VPN
- Site-to-site: connects two networks (on‑prem ↔ cloud VPC) via gateways.
- Client VPN: connects an individual user/device into a private network.
Tunnels
- Typically built with IPsec (IKE + ESP) or SSL/TLS-based VPNs.
- Key concerns: routing, MTU/MSS issues, split tunneling, rekeying, high availability.
Private connectivity in cloud
- Options include VPN, private peering, dedicated circuits, and private endpoints to services.
- Choose based on bandwidth/latency needs, compliance, and operational complexity.