Is it OK to VPN from a server?

[WorkForFood]

Hi,

I have been asked to connect to a remote network from our Windows Domain / RRAS / DNS / DHCP / WINS / SQL / Exchange server using VPN (Cisco client specifically). This isn't a server to server connection; rather a client to server connection but the client happens to be our one corporate server (a catch all server).

Connecting from our catch all server to a 3rd party network seems like a poor practice to me, but I am looking for comments to help me make a case against (assuming there is one) enabling VPN from our catch all server to the third party network. I am just guessing, but I would think there are signficant security concerns and that it will require some advanced IP management to ensure routing isn't affected at the server.

Once connected by VPN from the server I will be transferring / copying data to the remote site.

Do you have any thoughts you can share? Should I be concerned? For ease of implementation I thought this process (connecting to a 3rd party using VPN) should reside on a separate network workstation, so I can connect from the workstation to send the data but I will have to justify the purchase of that workstation based on security issues and concerns related to IP stability of the corporate network.

We are running Windows 2000 Server, SQL Server 2000 and Exchange 2000. It has been a balancing act running a multi-function server and I am afraid that the VPN connection could be the tipping point for stability. There are no plans for updating the server or server software at this time.

Thanks for the help.

 

[dberg35]

Well I would recommend running VPN on that server being it is taxed now. You should however break down the rolls of that server to a couple more. As for VPN the best way is use 2 routers at each site. This will create a more secure connection. If all your doing is moving files then create a folder on that server or a networkd drive and transfer tme to that. An easy to setup router is the Netgear FVS318.