Introduction

In the previous chapter, we discussed the Domain Naming System (DNS) for Windows Server 2003. The public incarnation of DNS relies on the interconnectivity of several different network infrastructures. These networks are brought together through various routing protocols to facilitate the vast global IP network that is known as the Internet.

Traditionally, WAN connections were provided via private data connections (such as a point-to-point dedicated leased line) or via dial-up connections using conventional modems. A private connection belonged only to the offices it connected and was not shared among various companies through the service provider s network. The conventional dial-up connection was provided via a modem on the user s computer and a modem bank or modem card at the access server.

In the last five years, many companies have expanded, from unconnected systems to LANs, and then to WANs utilizing the Internet for interoffice connectivity. As the low price and increasing availability of broadband services continues to bring high-speed Internet connectivity to more offices and homes at a blistering pace, the need for secure connectivity and interconnectivity has led to many different types of office, small office, and home routers. A technology has emerged that provides for the secure transfer of private data and a newer style of dial-up connections between these remote networks, utilizing the Internet as the transport mechanism. This technology provides for a private network in a virtual sense, hence the term Virtual Private Network (VPN).

In this chapter, we will examine how Windows Server 2003 provides...