Connecting Remote Sites Design

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

Organizations can use VPN connections to establish site-to-site connections with geographically separate offices or with other organizations over a public network such as the Internet while maintaining secure communications. A site-to-site VPN connection across the Internet operates logically as a dedicated WAN link.

To begin the design process for deploying a site-to-site connection, choose the remote site connection type and the configuration options that are most appropriate, and decide which security features to use to protect that connection. Next, decide how you want to integrate the remote site connection into your existing network infrastructure. Finally, prepare the servers that you plan to configure as VPN routers. After you complete these design decisions, you are ready to deploy your remote site connection.

The following illustration shows a typical site-to-site VPN topology.

In this section

• Choose a VPN or Dial-up Connection

• Choose an On-Demand or Persistent Connection

• Choose a One-Way or Two-Way Initiated Connection

• Choose Security Features

• Integrate the Remote Site Connection into Your Network