All of the above.
A VPN...allows you to access resources inside of another network, by connecting your computer to the network through a "tunnel".
You can get access to a share on a server
And other servers...
And other workstations.
And remote to a desktop if you want, or to a server..using RDP
You can launch an application and get access to the database on a server
Basically you can do everything you could do...if your computer was connected to that office network. Just...a bit slower. Because you're connected at the slow rate of going across the internet.
There are software VPNs...software VPN server...a service like RRAS running on the server. And you have software VPN clients...even built into Windows....PPTP, IPSec.
And you have hardware VPN appliances...a hardware VPN server....handles all the connections and processing power. And you can have a piece of hardware be the VPN client also. Many routers support being clients.
Using the hardware VPN server and hardware VPN tunnels (like a router on each end)...you can create full time VPN tunnels...and this is one of the ways we make "wide area networks"...WANs. Satellite/branch offices networks are connected to the "mothership" office....so they can access resources just like their buildings were connected...because in essence, their networks are connected.
Great information.
Expanding on the basic concept of a VPN: A VPN does 2 things, 1) it gives you a secure tunnel through the internet, and 2) it provides a connection to another network that is as if you are inside their local area network.
For a remote worker, the security plus the ability to browse/map drives/access programs as if you are inside the office is very useful. Absent a VPN, you typically need to control an computer inside the office, not always an option.
Once you are connected to another network via the VPN, websites and media services can only see that you are coming from that host VPN site, and they have no knowledge of your real location.
