Why Your Business Needs a Secure Cloud Network

A business's most vital assets are its information and data. Lately, countless businesses have adopted cloud networks and storage to secure their information as they happen to be more secure than locally installed servers and provide much more features and benefits than the latter.

However, such businesses may not know or understand that a cloud network requires extra security to protect it from security breaches and data theft. This is why they are urged to utilize a business VPN to secure their cloud network.

Before getting into what a business VPN is, allow us to explain what cloud networks and security are and what they can provide for your business.

Secure Your Business Network with A Cloud VPN

What are Cloud Networks and Cloud Security?

As cloud networks are a kind of architecture or IT infrastructure that organizations use to host their resources and network capabilities, they can either be managed in-house or by a service provider. Most businesses adopt hybrid solutions of on-premises cloud networking and cloud-based networking.

Such network resources include virtual routers, firewalls, network management software, and several other tools. Cloud networks deliver consistent and secure connectivity between apps and data regardless of their physical infrastructure.

Cloud security comprises several technologies, controls, policies, and services that protect cloud networks from cyber threats.
 

Cloud Security Benefits

Cloud security should be regarded as an investment in your business as it provides tons of benefits and protection services. Such benefits include:

1. Security Breach Prevention

Security breaches cost businesses millions of dollars and long periods to identify and contain them. If you are hosting your business data on a cloud-based network, you are entrusting a third-party provider with all your business data, and so you will not really have full control.

It's best to double down your network's cloud security with a business VPN to provide maximum security for your cloud network.
 

2. Remote Work Management

With remote work becoming more common during and post-pandemic, employees can use their laptops or smartphones to access their business software. However, if they connect their devices to public WIFIs, they become more susceptible to security breaches and cyber attacks as neither devices nor the networks they connect to are secure.

A secured cloud network with a business VPN provides ultimate protection for their devices and your business cloud, no matter where they connect. Additionally, a business VPN can also protect your employees' devices from malware and phishing attacks that can severely compromise your business's network and data.
 

3. Better Compliance

Businesses are now demanded to uphold regulatory compliance and data protection standards like HIPAA and GDPR. If your business is not compliant with those security standards, you can face costly fines and lawsuits that could ultimately cause your business's downfall.

Such standards ensure customer data's integrity and security; your company will be liable for any customer data compromised. Some industries are obliged to have stricter security measures and guidelines; these industries include:

• Banking
• Finance
• Health
• Insurance
• Legal

A data breach compromises not only your customer's data and information but also your organization's reputation and branding, all of which is nothing compared to the legal accountability that you will have to endure.
 

4. Access level building

Unsecured cloud networks and storage sometimes face accidental data leaks, which also result in compromising the company's integrity. With poor security practices, they are more likely to occur.

Cloud security with a business VPN allows businesses to set up user access levels, limiting each user's access to data so they only access what concerns them.

Investing in cloud security is the best move you can make for your business, as you will gain much more control of your data and network while setting up strict security measures and policies. Speaking of cloud security, we will present you with the best business VPN and cloud security provider, Perimeter 81.
 

A Brief About Perimeter 81

Perimeter 81 is a world-leading business VPN provider that offers a ton of unique security features with its super-comprehensive platform. The company is one of the fastest-growing in the industry, gaining over 2200 customers since its launch in 2018.

Perimeter 81 has also earned overwhelmingly high ratings and recognition awards from several sites and has established its foothold in the Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).
 

What Does Perimeter 81 Offer?

Perimeter 81 offers cloud security solutions by the industry, and so its business VPN is compatible with all industry types offering each unique feature and benefit. Such industries are:

• Technology & SaaS
• Healthcare
• Finance
• Retail & E-commerce
• Insurance Providers
• Government
• Education

Furthermore, Perimeter 81's business VPN is composed of a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) solution, which leverages unique capabilities that surpass traditional consumer-based VPNs.

An SDP is a fully-virtual architecture made up of internal networks that are quarantined from the outside by implementing various perimeter firewalls. An SDP grants you powerful benefits such as:

• Reduced implementation costs compared to a VPN
• Seamless auditing and reports
• Secure global access
• Network micro-segmentation
• User-based policies and rules
• Accessible network integration
• Almost impossible to hijack

As for its business VPN features, Perimeter 81 can secure your business cloud network in several ways. It offers some basic VPN features such as:

• Dedicated servers
• Dedicated IP addresses
• Split tunneling

But it does offer several other unique features and a more advanced split tunneling feature, which you could be familiar with from traditional VPNs.
 

Business VPN Features

Split tunneling

On normal VPNs, split tunneling allows its user to control which applications or website traffic goes through the encryption tunnel to unblock certain content without affecting your whole network or applications.

With Perimeter 81, split tunneling allows you to choose which subnets of your network you want to be protected under the VPN tunnel.
 

Secure Web Gateway

Secure web gateways act as a safety net that prevents your employees from accessing malicious websites that want to infect their devices and your network. The feature allows you to set up web filtering rules that prevent access to certain site categories like streaming or gaming platforms, which keeps your employees productive and on top of their game.
 

Device Posture Check

This is a unique nifty feature that grants you control over who can connect to your business's network. You can set up rules that only allow devices with certain antivirus software to connect or those that hold appropriate authentication certificates to connect.
 

Identity Management

Identity management offers full control of user management. You can create user and employee groups and assign them different access levels and permissions. You also get to control certain user settings such as:

• Enabling/disabling the Always-On VPN feature
• Enabling/disabling both private and public VPN servers
• Enforcing software updates
• Turning on the kill switch
• Enabling two-factor authentication
• Resetting user passwords
• Setting up different protocols for different operating systems
   

Agentless Access

This is another unique feature that allows you to extend your virtual private network security to third-party connections via HTTP, RDP, and SSH. You can assign such connections certain application access that matches their risk profiles and roles in your company. You can also monitor how long and when they have accessed an application or resource.
 

Full Compliance

Perimeter 81's business VPN grants your complete business compliance for:

• GDPR
• HIPAA
• SOC 2 Type 2
• ISO 27001 & 27002
   

Business VPN Plans and Prices

Perimeter 81 offers four subscription plans for its business VPN and cloud security solutions. Each offers a set of features suitable for different organizational needs and sizes. Its plans are:
 

What is A Cloud VPN?

Essentials plan $8/user per month + $40/month per gateway, minimum 5 users.

This is the basic plan where you get all the essentials to secure and protect your network. It provides you with the following features and capabilities:

• Cloud network management platform
• Global private network
• Web-based, secure application for 2 applications
• Zero Trust policy-based segmentation
• Fast and easy network deployment
• Unlimited data usage
• Activity audits & reports for 14 days
• 500 Mbps/Gateway
• User portal
• Unlimited network tunnels
• Site-to-Site interconnectivity
• Split tunneling
• Private DNS
• Two-factor authentication
• Easy-to-use apps
• Wireguard protocol
• Automatic Wi-Fi Security
• Self-service knowledge base
   

Premium plan: $12 per user per month, + $40/month per gateway, minimum 10 users.

This plan provides more advanced security features; it comes with everything in the Essentials plan plus:

• Web-based, secure application access for 10 applications
• Firewall as a Service with 10 policies
• Activity audits & reports for 30 days
• Premium public network
• 1000 Mbps/Gateway
• Always-on VPN
• DNS Filtering
• Device Posture Check for 3 profiles
• Single Sign-On capabilities
• User Configuration Profiles for 3 profiles
• Prioritized customer support
   

Premium Plus: $16/month per user, + $40/month per gateway, minimum 20 users.

This is the most popular plan among business customers; it provides extra layered security for larger organizations. You get everything in the previous plans, including:

• Web-based, secure application access for 100 applications
• Firewall as a Service with 100 policies
• Device Posture Check for 20 profiles
• User Configuration Profiles for 10 profiles
• Dedicated Solution Architect
• API Support
• Dedicated customer success manager
   

Enterprise plan: Quote-based, minimum 50 users.

This is the fully-featured business VPN package, and it is aimed at large enterprises with customizable security features. It packs everything previously offered by other plans, plus:

• Unlimited web-based, secure application access
• Activity audits & reports for 60 days
• Unlimited Device Posture Check
• Unlimited User Configuration Profiles
• SCIM
• 24/7 Dedicated chat and email support
• 24/7 phone support

Summary

By now, you should be well-convinced to provide your business's cloud with extra security with a business VPN. And no other business VPN delivers the best and most comprehensive features than Perimeter 81. A secure cloud network for your business can immensely secure your business and customer data while maintaining full regulatory compliance.

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