If you want to look for Open VPNs in the internet, just type the following words in your favorite search engine: firewall port open windows VPN. You will find that there is a lot of information about the subject. And, if you need an additional layer of security, type IPcop open VPN.

So, are there additional advantages to an open VPN? Actually, there are. The first one is that it is easy to install in Windows 2000 or Windows XP. The software is composed by a .exe file that only needs to be clicked twice in order to be executed. A graphic user interface will help you in the installation of the communications tunnel. Plus, the configuration files are text based. That way you can make any changes with a simple software utility like Microsoft Windows notepad.

The second advantage is that there is plenty of information available for free in the internet. There are many DIY (Do It Yourself) guides and How-To pages that can help you implement a SSL VPN open source program. Plus, you will find that there are many forums where system administrators from around the world put the questions and they are answered in no time. And for free!

Another advantage is that an open VPN uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL, a cryptographic protocol) for transmitting the information. That means that only the sender and the receiver will be able to read the information. Of course, that doesn’t mean that it is 100% secure.

As a matter of fact, if a cracker wants to spend enough time and resources, he will be able to crack your transmission. The positive side is that considering the millions of unprotected machines that exist in the Internet, a hacker will look for a machine that can be cracked with the least amount of effort.

Disadvantages Of Open VPN

However, not everything is great in the land of open VPNs. For example, the latest version of OpenVPN, one of the many VPN software packages available for free, is beta. And, for further detriment, the anterior versions have several problems that make them unreliable. You will find that this is a pattern that repeats itself constantly in open source software.

In the case of commercial products, you can escalate the problem to the manufacturer, who will look for a way to solve your problem as soon as possible. This doesn’t happen in the world of open source software; a solution can take months to be developed and implemented into the latest version.

Open VPN proxys may be the solution that your company was looking for. If, after reading all this information, you find that it is the perfect answer to your needs, then consult your system administrator. In the case you are the system administrator, tell your manager about the benefits of an open VPN and how it well help the company attain its objectives.