VPN costs savings

[Sandy Harris]

"Venicio Vilas-Bôas" wrote:
>
> Dear ladies and gentlemen
>
>     I would like to put a most important subject about VPN. It is not
> technique. The question is:
>
> How much we cost savings when we implement a VPN in a specific project? Are
> there a consecration methodology for calculate this return ?

There can be large cost savings, especially where a VPN running over the
Internet replaces an expensive leased line solution. However, I think that's
the wrong question.

The business case for VPNs depends mainly on security, not cost savings, and
the value of security depends on the value of your data.

	What does it cost your company if some competitor obtains the secret
	   details of your next product?

	What is your liability if information on your employees is exposed?

	If customer data is taken, you are likely liable to the customers and
	   the advantage to a competitor or pain for you in the press might be
	   considerable as well.

	If you partner with other companies, what are the consequences of
	   exposing their secrets? Loss of partner and project, liability, ...

Details vary hugely, depending both on the data you have and the laws your
organisation must comply with, especially in the areas of liability and of
privacy protection.

As a general rule, though, the management and staff of any company have a
legal responsibility to exercise "due diligence". If you lose data, that
loss damages someone (employee, partner, customer, shareholder, ...) and
they can show you didn't exercise due diligence, didn't take reasonable
measures to protect that data, then they'll win the suit.

On today's Internet, I'd say using VPN technology for any important data
that needs to be private or secure was a due diligence requirement.

Of course, I'm not a lawyer. Ask your corporate legal dep't. If they say
anything that is interesting and not confidential, please post it.

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