One of the top challenges facing enterprise owners is ensuring secure remote connections to company networks and resources to stay safe from data breaches. Considering that a recent IBM report estimated that the average cost of a data breach in 2022 was $4.35 million, it isn’t a surprise that deploying enterprise-level virtual private network solutions has become a top priority for many businesses.
Enterprise VPN solutions provide a secure gateway for businesses to connect their employees to their corporate networks. Security features such as multi-factor authentication, disabling split tunneling, implementing a maximum connection-time window after which employees must re-authenticate and mandating complex, rotating passwords are several examples of how enterprise VPNs improve and bolster security.
Given the wide range of VPNs on the market, here is a roundup of the top enterprise VPN solutions in 2023.
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The table below highlights some of the key features of enterprise VPN solutions and how they compare with one another.
Here is a breakdown of the top enterprise VPN software for business with their features, pros and cons.
Cisco AnyConnect uses multi-factor authentication and establishes a 24-hour usage window after which a user’s connection drops and they are required to log in again.
AnyConnect offers many security options. It performs a system check on authentication to determine whether the workstation meets certain requirements, like anti-malware software or corporate domain membership, before it permits access to the company network. This ensures only company-managed systems are allowed on the VPN. AnyConnect can block access to untrusted servers, display security products installed and run diagnostics to gather information for analysis and troubleshooting. It disables split tunneling, meaning when a user is connected to the VPN, they can only access corporate resources and nothing on a local home network or the internet.
We picked Cisco AnyConnect for its user-friendly installation process and intuitive interface. We also liked its numerous security features, such as system check and server blocking, that make it a strong option amongst other enterprise VPN solutions with limited features.
The Checkpoint Secure Remote Access VPN allows for creating custom install packages pre-configured with the target IP address(es) for clients to authenticate to. Like AnyConnect, it’s secured by multi-factor authentication (in this case, either hard tokens or soft tokens, which operate as an app on mobile devices).
Like AnyConnect, split tunneling is disabled and for hackers to get to the internet clients, they would have to configure the company proxy server settings, which only permit access to public-facing internet sites for business use (social media sites were blocked, for instance). Group memberships determine who can connect where. Checkpoint firewalls serve as the management interface for both the VPN and the firewall settings.
Checkpoint Site-to-Site VPNs can link two remote areas together so traffic can reach networks on either side.
We chose Checkpoint Secure Remote Access VPN for its impressive SSL VPN portal that allows network access through a web browser. Having secure access to a corporate network is a meaningful value-add that many employees and employers will find useful, especially those working in a hybrid setup. It also makes workflows more efficient, given that employees can access important resources without having to install a full-fledged VPN client on their devices.
SonicWall offers a fast and efficient product that provides RADIUS/certificate/Smart Card/USB authentication. It comes with both 168-bit key 3DES (Data Encryption Standard) and AES (Advanced Encryption) encryption standards and VPN session reliability that redirects clients to other VPN gateways if problems occur. In addition, SonicWall comes with specific subnet access and command-line options for installation, making it easy to deploy through automated software mechanisms.
We like SonicWall Global VPN for its speed and reliability. It has a good mix of strong security features such as AES encryption, an easily configurable interface and a quick and reliable user experience. SonicWall also has a good reputation for providing quality customer support.
Fortinet FortiClient relies on certificates for integration and deployment and offers access to web filtering and its firewall. Endpoint protection security, which uses automated behavior analysis, is included. A “single pane of glass” approach similar to Checkpoint provides one-stop-shopping to manage configuration, deployment and management as well as check client status and engage in vulnerability scanning and patching.
The solution also offers two different types of VPN solutions—IPSec and SSL—and can be integrated into an organization’s overall endpoint security strategy. This provides a reliable VPN security option for companies that have employees working remotely.
Fortinet FortiClient’s extensive protocol suite makes it a good choice when security is a top priority; their multiple tunneling protocols are customizable based on protection needs. We also like that Fortinet allows prospective users to trial FortiClient to see if it fits their enterprise needs.
Palo Alto GlobalProtect offers similar features to prior products listed, such as multi-factor authentication, high security (cookie or certificate-based authentication are two strong features), web filtering and threat protection. It relies on Zero Trust principles.
GlobalProtect displays significant capability in identifying what devices are connecting to the VPN and whether they are managed (company-owned or operated) or unmanaged (employee-owned), and providing access accordingly (devices deemed suspicious or unauthorized can be blocked entirely). It can determine certificates present on devices, operating system and patch levels, anti-malware versions and status, running software and whether disks are encrypted and data is being backed up by a product.
We chose Palo Alto GlobalProtect for its trustworthiness and reliability in upholding its security policies and feature promises to its clients. Trust and credibility are important tenets in quality security software, and GlobalProtect has continued to maintain a good reputation for protecting corporate and user data. Its application of zero trust security principles is also an advantage against similar competitors.
ZScaler Private Access is a different product from the previous offerings in this article. Rather than being a traditional end-user VPN client, it’s a cloud service that provides access to applications in cloud environments or on-premises systems via a distributed architecture. The twist here is that the applications connect to authorized users via secure encryption rather than vice versa, so users never actually access the remote networks involved.
It uses standard policy-based access depending on users and applications. ZScaler allows mergers and acquisitions to be facilitated easily due to the reduced infrastructure setup times and lack of need for additional networking equipment.
ZScaler Private Access’ zero trust approach can provide organizations peace-of-mind in an increasingly hybrid workforce. While it isn’t a VPN per se, its cloud service adopts maximum security in protecting corporate data and adds an additional layer of security against possible data breaches.
Enterprise VPNs have key features that separate them from the traditional consumer VPNs. Below are some of the differentiating factors.
Support for secure VPN protocols is a crucial feature of enterprise VPNs. These protocols are designed to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of data transmitted between remote users and the corporate network. Enterprise VPNs typically support multiple secure protocols, such as OpenVPN, IPSec and SSL/TLS, to provide a variety of options for connecting to the network securely. The use of secure VPN protocols help protect sensitive information from interception, eavesdropping and other types of cyber threats.
DNS leaks can compromise the security of enterprise networks by exposing employees’ online activities and potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive company data. Enterprise VPN solutions need robust, built-in DNS leak protection mechanisms to ensure that all DNS queries are routed through the encrypted VPN tunnel and not leaked outside.
A centralized management system allows administrators to quickly and easily configure VPN settings and policies, monitor VPN traffic and usage and troubleshoot network issues. With a centralized management network, admins can also enforce policies — such as access controls and data retention policies, across the entire VPN network — ensuring that all users comply with company security policies and industry regulations.
High availability is another critical feature of enterprise VPNs. Having an enterprise VPN consistently and continuously operate properly is a crucial feature to watch out for. Any downtime on an enterprise VPN’s performance can disrupt business operations, preventing remote workers from accessing corporate resources and potentially causing revenue losses.
Before opting for any VPN software for your business, you should do the following:
First, consider your security needs and check if your potential VPN solution can meet those needs. For instance, if your security need is beyond just a secure VPN connection to include, let’s say, compliance support, you should go for a VPN solution that offers both. Similarly, you should also consider how you want to deploy your VPN software. Do you want a solution offering only a cloud-based or downloaded client? Your answer will allow you to pick the best VPN software for your business.
While all VPN solutions offer similar security capabilities, some have more security-focused features than others. Remember that security should be the top priority when choosing an enterprise VPN solution. You should go for solutions that provide strong encryption, secure authentication and other security features to protect against cyber threats.
Compatibility is another factor to consider before opting for any business VPN solution. The VPN solution should be compatible with a wide range of platforms and devices, including desktops, laptops, mobile devices and different operating systems. This ensures that your employees’ devices can easily connect to the VPN without spending money on additional devices.
Consider the cost of the VPN solution, including any hardware or software licenses, maintenance and support fees and any other expenses associated with implementation and management.
While there are several VPN services out there, not all offer solutions at an enterprise level. To arrive at our list of the best enterprise VPNs, we based our selection on the following parameters: strong security features, stable connection, multi-device and operating system capability and customer support. Apart from using some of the solutions, we also checked out reviews on Gartner to gather third-party opinions and user testimonials on some of the VPN solutions.
From these aspects, we highlighted the main differentiating feature that makes each specific enterprise VPN worth checking out.
This article was originally written by Scott Matteson and updated by Franklin Okeke. The current version contains additional information and updates by Luis Millares.
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