A mediated VPN is a virtual private
network topology
Network topology is the arrangement of the elements (Data link, links, Node (networking), nodes, etc.) of a communication network. Network topology can be used to define or describe the arrangement of various types of telecommunication networks, ...
where two or more participants connect to a central switchboard server managed typically by a third party in order to create a
virtual private network
Virtual private network (VPN) is a network architecture for virtually extending a private network (i.e. any computer network which is not the public Internet) across one or multiple other networks which are either untrusted (as they are not con ...
between them, as distinct from a typical VPN arrangement whereby clients of an organisation connect to a
VPN concentrator managed by the same organization.
Typically a
switchboard server (referred to as a mediator) will manage several VPNs, identifying each individually by authentication credentials (such as username, network name and passwords). The mediator's role is to assign
IP address
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is assigned to a device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve two main functions: network interface i ...
es to each participant in a VPN, and to encrypt data through the switchboard server in order to keep it secure from other participants in other VPNs.
See also
*
Virtual private network
Virtual private network (VPN) is a network architecture for virtually extending a private network (i.e. any computer network which is not the public Internet) across one or multiple other networks which are either untrusted (as they are not con ...
*
Virtual Private LAN Service
Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) is a way to provide Ethernet-based multipoint to multipoint communication over IP or MPLS networks. It allows geographically dispersed sites to share an Ethernet broadcast domain by connecting sites through p ...
*
Point-to-point (telecommunications)
In telecommunications, a point-to-point connection refers to a communications connection between two communication endpoints or nodes. An example is a telephone call, in which one telephone is connected with one other, and what is said by one c ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mediated Vpn
Network architecture