One of many high challenges dealing with enterprise house owners is making certain safe distant connections to firm networks and sources to remain secure from knowledge breaches. In a current IBM report, the typical price of a knowledge breach in 2024 was estimated at $4.88 million — which IBM says is the best complete ever recorded. With this, it isn’t a shock that deploying enterprise-level digital non-public community options has turn out to be a high precedence for a lot of companies.
Enterprise VPN options present a safe gateway for companies to attach their workers to their company networks. Security measures similar to multi-factor authentication, disabling break up tunneling, implementing a most connection-time window after which workers should re-authenticate, and mandating complicated, rotating passwords are a number of examples of how enterprise VPNs enhance and bolster safety.
Given the big selection of VPNs available on the market, here’s a roundup of the highest enterprise VPN options.
Prime enterprise VPN options comparability
The desk beneath highlights a number of the key options of enterprise VPN options and the way they examine with each other.
Cisco AnyConnect: Greatest total
Cisco AnyConnect is my finest total decide for its big selection of safety capabilities, high quality buyer help, and user-friendly expertise. It makes use of multi-factor authentication and establishes a 24-hour utilization window, after which a person’s connection drops and they’re required to log in once more.
SEE: Can a VPN Be Hacked? (TechRepublic)
A spotlight for me is the way it performs a system examine on authentication to find out whether or not a workstation meets sure necessities, like anti-malware software program or company area membership, earlier than it permits entry to the corporate community. This ensures solely company-managed programs are allowed on the VPN. I additionally like how AnyConnect can block entry to untrusted servers, show safety merchandise put in, and run diagnostics to assemble data for evaluation and troubleshooting. It disables break up tunneling, which means when a person is linked to the VPN, they will solely entry company sources and nothing on an area dwelling community or the web.
Why I selected Cisco AnyConnect
I picked Cisco AnyConnect for its user-friendly set up course of and intuitive interface. I additionally discover nice worth in its suite of safety features, similar to system examine and server blocking, that make it a robust choice amongst different enterprise VPN options with extra restricted capabilities. Per my analysis, it additionally will get glowing evaluations from customers when it comes to its stability and total reliability.
Pricing
- Contact the seller for pricing particulars.
Options
- Permits entry to the enterprise community, from any gadget, at any time, in any location.
- Gives visibility and perception into endpoint habits.
- Presents multi-factor authentication.
- Presents always-on help.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| It’s simple to obtain and set up. | There isn’t any free trial. |
| It may be used on a number of gadgets. | Lacks kill change functionality. |
| Gives nice buyer help. |
Checkpoint Safe Distant Entry: Greatest for web-based consumer help
For high quality net consumer help, I like to recommend Checkpoint Safe Distant Entry VPN. It will probably create {custom} set up packages pre-configured with the goal IP tackle(es) for shoppers to authenticate to. Like AnyConnect, it’s secured by multi-factor authentication (on this case, both onerous tokens or gentle tokens, which function as an app on cellular gadgets).
SEE: How A lot Does a VPN Value? + Financial savings Suggestions (TechRepublic)
I personally like how break up tunneling is disabled in Checkpoint Safe Distant Entry, identical to Cisco AnyConnect. This implies, for hackers to get to the shoppers, they must configure the corporate proxy server settings, which solely allow entry to public-facing web websites for enterprise use (social media websites have been blocked, as an illustration). Group memberships decide who can join the place. Checkpoint firewalls function the administration interface for each the VPN and the firewall settings.
I additionally need to point out that Checkpoint Website-to-Website VPNs are in a position to hyperlink two distant areas collectively — permitting site visitors to succeed in networks on both facet.
Why I selected Checkpoint Safe Distant Entry
I’ve Checkpoint Safe Distant Entry VPN on this checklist for its spectacular SSL VPN portal that enables community entry by means of an internet browser. Having safe entry to a company community is a significant value-add that many workers and employers will discover helpful, particularly these working in a hybrid setup. I additionally really feel it makes workflows extra environment friendly, since workers can entry essential sources with out having to put in a full-fledged VPN consumer on their gadgets.
Pricing
- Contact the seller for pricing particulars.
Options
- The VPN gives a central administration platform.
- IPsec and SSL VPN help.
- Safe hotspot registration.
- It gives VPN auto-connect.
- Multi-factor authentication help.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| SSL help gives web-based entry with out the necessity to set up a VPN consumer. | It doesn’t help risk prevention on iOS, Android, and Linux customers. |
| Compliance scanning help. | Incident evaluation is simply obtainable for Home windows customers. |
| Runs on a number of gadgets, together with Home windows, Mac, and mobiles. | |
| Presents risk prevention functionality. |
NordLayer: Greatest for brand spanking new enterprise VPN customers
For companies transitioning to an enterprise VPN answer, I like to recommend NordLayer. It’s a robust distant entry answer that allows companies to safe their distant workers and shield firm sources on the identical time. If it sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of it’s from the identical firm that created the favored shopper VPN — NordVPN.
Like NordVPN, I like how NordLayer gives an in depth suite of safety features with out sacrificing ease of use. A few of its options embrace good distant entry, All the time On VPN, Customized DNS, and DNS filtering by class. One large benefit I discovered with NordLayer is its transparency with pricing, offering estimated costs relying in your wants or subscription of alternative. To me, that is an underrated function that’s good for potential enterprise VPN customers.
Why I selected NordLayer
I selected NordLayer for its sturdy emphasis on ease of deployment, set up, and scalability — which is good for companies that need to begin utilizing an enterprise VPN. This permits NordLayer to accommodate most, if not all, enterprise sizes with out a lot headache. I additionally like that it gives its personal proprietary NordLynx protocol, based mostly on WireGuard, that’s constructed for each velocity and safety.
Pricing
NordLayer has a month-to-month and a yearly choice for its 4 subscription tiers. Under is a fast rundown of its annual pricing.
- Lite: $8 per person, monthly; 5 customers minimal; important web entry safety with fundamental web risk prevention.
- Core: $11 per person, monthly; 5 customers minimal; superior entry safety, and fundamental community entry management.
- Premium: $14 per person, monthly; 5 customers minimal; community entry management options with granular community segmentation.
- Enterprise: $7 per person, monthly; 50 customers minimal; custom-fit community safety.
Options
- System posture safety.
- MFA and SSO.
- All the time On VPN.
- Exercise monitoring stories.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Subscription tiers that cater to numerous enterprise sizes. | Pretty new to enterprise VPN house. |
| Extremely scalable. | |
| Publicly obtainable pricing. |
SonicWall World VPN Consumer: Greatest light-weight enterprise VPN
For companies on the lookout for a light-weight choice, I recommend SonicWall World VPN. It gives a quick and environment friendly product that gives RADIUS/certificates/Sensible Card/USB authentication. It comes with each 168-bit key 3DES (Knowledge Encryption Commonplace) and AES (Superior Encryption) encryption requirements and VPN session reliability that redirects shoppers to different VPN gateways if issues happen. I significantly recognize how SonicWall comes with particular subnet entry and command-line choices for set up, making it simple to deploy by means of automated software program mechanisms.
Why I selected SonicWall World VPN Consumer:
I chosen SonicWall World VPN to be on this checklist for its velocity and reliability. It has a great mixture of sturdy safety features, similar to AES encryption, an simply configurable interface, and a fast and dependable person expertise. SonicWall additionally has a great fame for offering high quality buyer help.
Pricing
- Contact the seller for pricing particulars.
Options
- It may be configured both as an IPsec or SSL end-point agent.
- Helps a number of platforms, together with Home windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Presents simple setup and configuration.
- Detailed logs and reporting for community directors.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Presents sturdy encryption and authentication to guard towards cyber threats. | There isn’t any free trial or demo. |
| It’s simple to obtain and configure. | No web-based model. |
| Appropriate with a variety of platforms and gadgets. | |
| Presents logs and reporting options to watch VPN utilization. |
Fortinet FortiClient: Greatest for providing wider VPN safety choices
For companies trying to have flexibility when it comes to VPN safety choices, I like to recommend Fortinet FortiClient. It depends on certificates for integration and deployment and gives entry to net filtering and a firewall. I additionally like how its Endpoint safety safety capabilities, which makes use of automated habits evaluation, is included. Fortinet makes use of a “single pane of glass” strategy that gives one-stop-shopping to handle configuration, deployment, and administration, in addition to examine consumer standing and have interaction in vulnerability scanning and patching.
I recognize how Fortinet gives two several types of VPN options — IPSec and SSL — and might be built-in into a corporation’s total endpoint safety technique. This gives a dependable VPN safety choice for corporations which have workers working remotely.
Why I selected Fortinet FortiClient
I selected Fortinet FortiClient for its in depth protocol suite, making it a good selection when safety is a high precedence. It additionally stood out for me resulting from its large number of tunneling protocols which can be customizable based mostly on safety wants. I additionally like that Fortinet permits potential customers to trial FortiClient to see if it suits their enterprise wants.
Pricing
- Contact the seller for pricing particulars.
Options
- Fortinet helps multi-factor authentication.
- Helps SSL or IPSec tunneling protocols.
- Presents malware safety and anti-exploit help.
- Presents a number of tunneling protocols, together with Level-to-Level, Layer 2, and Safe Socket tunneling protocols.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| There’s a free trial choice. | Integration with anti-virus and threat-detection instruments makes it just a little bit clunky. |
| Totally customizable authentication settings. |
Palo Alto GlobalProtect: Greatest for implementing safety insurance policies
For enterprises that desire a VPN with dependable safety coverage capabilities, I recommend trying into Palo Alto GlobalProtect. It gives related options to prior merchandise listed, similar to multi-factor authentication, excessive safety (cookie or certificate-based authentication are two sturdy options), net filtering and risk safety. As well as, GlobalProtect depends on Zero Belief rules.
Personally, I commend GlobalProtect’s spectacular capability to determine what gadgets are connecting to the VPN and whether or not they’re managed (company-owned or operated) or unmanaged (employee-owned), and offering entry accordingly (gadgets deemed suspicious or unauthorized might be blocked solely). It will probably additionally decide certificates current on gadgets, working system and patch ranges, anti-malware variations and standing, working software program, and whether or not disks are encrypted and knowledge is being backed up by a product.
Why I selected Palo Alto GlobalProtect
I opted for Palo Alto GlobalProtect resulting from its trustworthiness and reliability in upholding its safety insurance policies and have guarantees to its shoppers. Belief and credibility are essential tenets in high quality safety software program, and GlobalProtect has continued to keep up a great fame for shielding company and person knowledge. I additionally discover its sturdy utility of zero belief safety rules as a significant benefit towards related opponents.
Pricing
- Contact the seller for pricing particulars.
Options
- Gives least-privilege entry help for distant workers.
- Helps multi-factor authentication.
- The software program helps risk prevention.
- Presents full visibility throughout all purposes, ports, and protocols.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| There’s a demo choice to take a look at the product. | Deployment could also be tough for first-time customers. |
| Presents analytics and visibility for community site visitors, | |
| There may be an always-on, safe connection help. |
ZScaler Non-public Entry: Greatest for zero belief community entry
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a ZTNA answer, I like to recommend ZScaler Non-public Entry. As a disclaimer, Zscaler is a special product from the earlier choices on this article. Relatively than being a standard end-user VPN consumer, it’s a cloud service that gives entry to purposes in cloud environments or on-premises programs by way of a distributed structure. The twist right here is that the purposes connect with approved customers by way of safe encryption fairly than vice versa, so customers by no means truly entry the distant networks concerned.
It makes use of customary policy-based entry, relying on customers and purposes. For me, I like how ZScaler allows mergers and acquisitions to be facilitated simply because of the decreased infrastructure setup occasions and lack of want for added networking tools.
Why I selected ZScaler Non-public Entry
I’ve ZScaler Non-public Entry on this checklist for its zero belief strategy that may present organizations peace-of-mind in an more and more hybrid workforce. Whereas it isn’t a VPN per se, I really feel its cloud service adopts most safety in defending company knowledge and provides an extra layer of safety towards attainable knowledge breaches.
Pricing
- Contact the seller for pricing particulars.
Options
- A number of gadget help.
- Gives multi-factor authentication.
- AI-powered community segmentation.
- Helps several types of segmentations, together with user-to-app, user-to-device, and workload-to-workload segmentation.
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| There may be an choice for a demo. | It is just cloud-based. |
| Applies the rules of least privilege to offer customers a safe connection. | |
| There may be safety compliance help. |
Key options of enterprise VPN options
Enterprise VPNs have key options that separate them from the standard shopper VPNs. Under are a number of the differentiating components.
Help for Safe VPN Protocol
Help for safe VPN protocols is a vital function of enterprise VPNs. These protocols are designed to make sure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of information transmitted between distant customers and the company community. Enterprise VPNs sometimes help a number of safe protocols, similar to OpenVPN, IPSec, and SSL/TLS, to supply a wide range of choices for connecting to the community securely. Using safe VPN protocols assist shield delicate data from interception, eavesdropping, and different kinds of cyber threats.
SEE: Tips on how to Run a Cybersecurity Threat Evaluation in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)
DNS Leak Safety help
DNS leaks can compromise the safety of enterprise networks by exposing workers’ on-line actions and doubtlessly permitting unauthorized entry to delicate firm knowledge. Enterprise VPN options want sturdy, built-in DNS leak safety mechanisms to make sure that all DNS queries are routed by means of the encrypted VPN tunnel and never leaked outdoors.
Centralized administration help
A centralized administration system permits directors to shortly and simply configure VPN settings and insurance policies, monitor VPN site visitors and utilization, and troubleshoot community points. With a centralized administration community, admins can even implement insurance policies — similar to entry controls and knowledge retention insurance policies, throughout your entire VPN community — making certain that every one customers adjust to firm safety insurance policies and trade rules.
Excessive availability
Excessive availability is one other crucial function of enterprise VPNs. Having an enterprise VPN constantly and constantly function correctly is a vital function to be careful for. Any downtime in an enterprise VPN’s efficiency can disrupt enterprise operations, stopping distant staff from accessing company sources and doubtlessly inflicting income losses.
How do I select the perfect VPN answer for my enterprise?
Earlier than choosing any VPN software program for your corporation, I like to recommend you are taking time to think about the next:
Take into account your corporation safety wants
First, take into account your safety wants and examine in case your potential VPN answer can meet these wants. As an example, in case your safety want goes past only a safe VPN connection to incorporate, let’s say, compliance help, you must go for a VPN answer that provides each. Equally, you also needs to take into account the way you need to deploy your VPN software program. Would you like an answer providing solely a cloud-based or downloaded consumer? Your reply will will let you decide the perfect VPN software program for your corporation.
Take into account safety capabilities
Whereas all VPN options supply related safety capabilities, some have extra security-focused options than others. Keep in mind that safety needs to be the highest precedence when selecting an enterprise VPN answer. You need to go for options that present sturdy encryption, safe authentication, and different safety features to guard towards cyber threats.
Examine for compatibility
Compatibility is one other issue to think about earlier than choosing any enterprise VPN answer. The VPN answer needs to be suitable with a variety of platforms and gadgets, together with desktops, laptops, cellular gadgets, and completely different working programs. This ensures that your workers’ gadgets can simply connect with the VPN with out spending cash on extra gadgets.
Take into account price
Take into account the price of the VPN answer, together with any {hardware} or software program licenses, upkeep and help charges, and every other bills related to implementation and administration.
Methodology
Whereas there are a number of VPN companies on the market, not all supply options at an enterprise degree. To reach at this checklist of the perfect enterprise VPNs, I based mostly our choice on the next parameters: sturdy safety features, secure connection, multi-device and working system functionality, and buyer help. Aside from utilizing a number of the options, I additionally checked out evaluations on Gartner to assemble third-party opinions and person testimonials on a number of the VPN options.
From these elements, I highlighted the principle differentiating function that makes every particular enterprise VPN price testing.
This text was initially written by Scott Matteson and up to date by Franklin Okeke. The present model comprises extra data and updates by Luis Millares.
