As the VPN market approaches maturity at a brisk pace, vendors have been forced to rethink the tradition identity of their IP Security-based technology for letting users securely access enterprise resources via the Internet. Most large companies in need of linking their offices together have done so on frame relay networks. Although frame is still a useful product many users have found that the reduced cost of VPN gives them an attractive alternative.

'During the last 18 months, vendors have pushed VPN technology into different devices, have lessened the distinction between VPN and firewall products, and have demonstrated a strong willingness to deviate from standardized technology to meet corporate remote access requirements. VPN services now come bundled with many dedicated services and several service providers are using VPN products as a loss leader so they can sell circuits. When investigating the use of VPN products make sure you speak with a professional who can guide you through the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the product. While it is a cost reduced alternative to frame it is a different product and should be thoroughly researched.

One of the advantages of a VPN is that internet access is not based only on the hub and spoke layout. The users away from the hub are able to access the internet through their own connection rather than going through the hub and creating a bottleneck. Users will only need to connect through the hub if they need to access information from the central database. When researching alternatives such as VPN, like always, we recommend you consult with a professional and not just a salesman for a VPN company. Make sure the individual you speak with is unbiased and will give you the strengths and weaknesses of each product. We recommend one of the brokers at T1 price for unbiased recommendations of multiple carriers.

T1 speed connections aren't just for large corporations any more. As pricing declines many people are opting for the more reliable and flexible service over a DSL connection. Also, the growing number of bandwidth hungry applications like ASP service, VOIP, streaming video and graphic heavy files are pushing the demand for more reliable connections. So, what does it take to get one of these connections?

Getting a connection isn't as complicated as it was just two years ago. Products have been streamlines and bundled for small businesses to be able to take advantage. While a standard connection was between $1,000 and $2,000 just a few years ago a small business can now find integrated service including both voice and data on a single line for as little as $500! For most companies this is comparable the the price they already pay for DSL service and their phone service. So why not switch?

Switching to a more reliable connection is not only less expensive than a few years ago, the implementation has been streamlined. Companies quote a minimum of 30 days to perform an installation but some can perform the implementation in as few as 20 days! While this is possible with some companies not all companies are capable of this speed yet. Much of the imlementation process is handled by the LEC (Local Exchange Carrier) and is out of the hand of your service provider. With the reduced price and streamlined implementation available you may want to reconsider your current connections and get a large company service at a small company price.