Implementing VPN

[Matt Morgan]

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 19:59:55 +0530, R. S. Patil
<kpr_rspatil at sancharnet.in> wrote:

> Now we want to establish a VPN with minimal investment. The data
> sharing between branches is very limited at present like viewing
> stocks, transferring documents files, extending software related support
> entering requests for any stock transfers etc. etc. But we wish to
> avail Internet facility for all the Users. A user from one branch
> should be using a application in his own branch to full extent
> but he will be using a downscaled application in another branch
> with local database at respective sites. We are not planning a
> centralized data warehouse like concept. But for support purpose
> we need to have access to any node from any place.

Have a look at smoothwall, a linux firewall/VPN/router "appliance"
that can install and run on any typical PC hardware. There's a free,
GPL version (smoothwall.org) as well as a non-free (but very
reasonably priced), commercially supported version (smoothwall.net).
The free version is somewhat limited, relative to the non-free, but I
think it can do what you need.

Otherwise, the advice you've gotten in the other responses is also very good.

--Matt