The VPN has become a vital instrument in our lives. Whether it is used for passing geological restrictions, IP masking, protection against cyber threats, and so on, VPN technology has gained ground for about twenty-five years.
Especially in recent years with the pandemic and the transition to remote and hybrid working models, virtual private networks have become extremely popular and more frequently implemented in organizations due to increased risks for the sake of network security.
In fact, the VPN market worldwide increased to 44.6 billion dollars in 2022 according to Statista.
The statistics show a dramatic increase compared to the 2019 market share of 25.41 billion dollars.
Although its implementation and usage have increased enormously, cyber threats and risks have risen even more.
That’s why new protocols and features of VPN have been developed to counteract these potential threats.
These developments made VPN configurations quite complicated. So, organizations need to configure their virtual private network tightly secured and correctly while enhancing their network security with other solutions as well.
One of the core configurations includes tunneling methods. Today’s topic will be VPN split tunneling: what it is and in which ways it is beneficial.
VPN Split Tunneling Basics
VPN tunnels are constructed in two forms: split tunnels and full tunnels. Full tunneling ensures that VPN is a gateway for all traffic in the networks while split tunneling with VPN separates traffic and ensures only a specific part of the traffic goes through the VPN gateway.
Although full tunneling provides a safer environment, your organization should know that this option will result in slower speeds due to encryption overload with all the network traffic.
Split tunneling offers better performance in the network and boosts speed.
In VPN split tunneling, encryption is provided only for certain parts of the endpoint traffic.
Split tunneling is a feature that separates what needs encryption and what can be directly routed to the public network.
In other words, organizations can determine which IP addresses and networks can benefit from direct connections or VPN tunnels.
That’s how you can ensure your sensitive data is protected. So, performance is focused on instead of security in VPN split tunneling.
But this doesn’t mean that split tunneling isn’t safe for all network traffic. Because all network traffic is handled with the VPN whether it will be encrypted or directly routed to public networks.
Also, split tunneling can be URL-based, app-based, or inverse. URL-based and app-based split tunneling allows certain URLs or apps to be separated and routed through VPN.
On the other hand, inverse split tunneling acts in a reverse fashion where your organization can set which URLs or apps won’t go through the VPN.
Now that we specified what is split tunneling and how it works, let’s look at the 5 main benefits of split tunneling.
Main Benefits Of Split Tunneling
1.) Simultaneous Access To Multiple Networks
In nature, split tunneling allows you to access multiple networks simultaneously.
Because of the fact that it provides users to segregate their activity by deciding what will be encrypted or directed to public networks via VPN, it is a great option for organizations of all sizes.
Employees can have access to business networks with encrypted tunnels to ensure the safety of sensitive data while they can have access to their local area networks.
So, employees can still access local area network resources such as printers. Otherwise, encryption may block access to local area network resources.
Split tunneling is applicable for personal use as well as organizational use. People can safeguard their sensitive data on their devices while some of their information can be sent through public networks.
In this manner, split tunneling also doesn’t require constant disconnecting and reconnecting. Because of these reasons, It is a convenient VPN tunneling option for organizations especially.
2.) Enhanced Network Performance And Speed
As mentioned above, split tunneling works in a way that separates endpoint traffic into two encrypted and unencrypted portions.
Because only a certain portion of endpoint traffic is encrypted in VPN split tunneling, the process will be a lot faster.
Lighter encrypted endpoint traffic has less strain on the headquarters infrastructure. This asset will enhance network performance immensely.
For example, video conferences, online meetings, and streaming proceed far more smoother.
Network performance and internet speed are among the most critical elements in businesses.
Enhanced network performance and faster internet speeds will also improve the productivity of employees.
So, organizations can accomplish more effective and productive outcomes.
While securing sensitive assets within the network through split tunneling, an unencrypted portion of the endpoint traffic can be protected with other security solutions.
By doing this, organizations can ensure the security of all network traffic with enhanced network performance and internet speeds.
3.) Secure Remote Access
Organizations with remote workforces can also benefit from using VPN split tunneling for several reasons.
Remote employees need to access business networks anywhere through their own devices, and while doing so, they can also access unsecured public networks.
Unsecured public networks are home to various cybercriminals and ransomware.
Because of this reason, organizations can secure remote access in split tunneling by encrypting the traffic to the business network and using honeypots on their employees’ devices.
With honeypots acting as a decoy, organizations can trick cybercriminals and catch them in the act.
In VPN split tunneling, organizations can deploy honeypots to serve as a tool for detection and deflection against cyber threats and ransomware.
4.) Prevention Of Data Throttling And Bottlenecks In Network Traffic
As explained earlier, split tunneling doesn’t encrypt and route the entire endpoint traffic to the headquarters infrastructure.
Because split tunneling focuses on improved performance over security within the network.
If all of the endpoint traffic is encrypted and routed to HQ infrastructure first as in full tunneling, it will create network congestion and bottleneck problems.
Because split tunneling alleviates the concentration of endpoint traffic, the issue of bottlenecking in the network will be resolved.
Also, VPN split tunneling alleviates any data throttling problems because your ISP can’t detect how much data you are consuming while encrypting and routing traffic.
5.) Avoid Extra Hardware Costs
Although full tunneling is the safer option, it is much more costly than split tunneling.
Split tunneling allows organizations to cut any extra hardware costs regarding traffic overloading in HQ infrastructure and malfunctioning.
Final Remarks
VPN split tunneling provides improved network performance, and faster internet speeds and prevents problems of bottleneck and data throttling while allowing your organization to cut extra onsite hardware costs.
You can also cut costs by using a promo code from a site such as https://vpn.coupons/ when you buy a VPN.
Although split tunneling offers many great benefits as such, beware of the risks split tunneling poses and enhance your organization’s network security through other solutions and mechanisms.
