Digitalization heightened the importance of safeguarding a company’s sensitive data. This has become even more significant with the increment in cyber threats and the just-felt global shift in working-from-home directives. All businesses, both small and big, need a solid cybersecurity strategy. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is one essential tool available within your security tools, among many others. A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your data, keeping it out of sight and far from the breach. But with so many other VPN services available in the market, why do you choose this one?
What Are Your Business Needs?
Before proceeding with features and technical specifications, it’s important to think about your organization’s VPN requirements. Consider established:
- Remote Access: Do your employees work away from your organization’s location and require secure access to your company’s network and resources.
- Multiple Offices: When provided with a budget, your organization can have a site-to-site VPN connection linking different offices across a vast area geographically.
- Compliance: Some industries, such as healthcare or finance, have strict laws to protect data privacy. Make sure the VPN you choose is appropriate for any compliance requirement.
- Scalability: A VPN service should keep up with added numbers of users and devices without loss of service performance in a growing business.
Key Features to Look For
After you have enumerated all the business requirements, you need to consider the following features when comparing the VPN services:
Security and Encryption
The central idea behind VPN is data security. The provider that you are interested in must be using the most robust encryption standards, for instance, AES-256, which is very strong and hardly breakable by attackers. Also, look for VPNs compatible with secure protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard. Click here to learn more about how VPN offers security and privacy.
No-Logging Policy
Opt for a VPN service that never keeps logs on the server to secure your privacy completely. In other words, it will not keep logs associated with your data concerning online activities. Also, try to find a VPN with its total no-logging claim independently tested or audited.
Server Network
A VPN service, run through different server capacities across various locations, is handy. It lets your employees connect with the closest server for the best speed and performance. The second advantage would be having servers in different countries in case your business goes international or you need to access content that has been geo-restricted in your country.
Speed and performance
It’s undeniable that security must be upheld at all risks. The last thing you would like to see is your business processes or operations becoming sluggish just because you’ve got a VPN. Choose a VPN provider known to keep pace with the speed of good business. Do not settle; search for VPNs with unlimited bandwidth and known to deliver credible performances.
User-Friendly Design
Ensure that a VPN service is easy to set up and convenient to use by staff. Look for providers with intuitive apps and simple settings. A complicated interface usually implies key reasons for user frustration and improper usage—compromising security.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Make sure the VPN you choose operates on all employed types of devices and operating systems: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Of course, this will manifest with Windows operating systems, macOS, iOS, and Android. This significantly makes a difference in user experience, making it secure on all fronts.
Customer Support
Service support is indeed critical. Hence, with technical glitches, one must have questions to be answered. Find a provider with 24/7 support through multiple channels: live chat, email, and phone. Responsive and knowledgeable support minimizes downtimes and ripples, keeping the business environment of VPN smooth.
Additional Things to Consider
Outside of those core functionalities above, a business owner should look for some additional features when choosing a VPN service:
Pricing and Plans
VPNs fit somewhere from free to premium enterprise, which is the pricing they would carry. Free VPNs are all very tempting, but free—there is always a catch with free things—that typically would mean tightened usage conditions and possible security risks. Get a decent, reliable, paid VPN service with transparent pricing and flexible plans in tune with your business needs.
Reputation and Record
Do some background checks on the provider that is, their reputation and history. Look for a company that has proven to be searching for privacy and user security. Research this by reading reviews and considering the exact line of business the provider has been doing well operationally. A highly rated novel is likely to provide good services.
Jurisdiction and Privacy Laws
Be wary of the provider’s jurisdiction and the laws regarding privacy in the country. Some countries also have stringent data preservation laws that may tie the hands of such VPN providers to log user activity. Choose entities located in jurisdictions that are famous for their sensitivity to privacy cases to stay safe with your data.
Final Words
Choosing the exemplary VPN service for your business is a critical power step and should not be taken in gauging the dark. So, with an alert mind, be informed regarding the needs of your own company and review and consider the fundamental features and other factors of selection that may apply in your situation. Remember, an investment in a trusted VPN service is an investment in your business’s security and peace of mind.