UPSC Prelims 2011 Q99: Science & Technology – Computer & Information Technology
- (a) It is a private computer network of an organization where the remote users can transmit encrypted information through the server of the organization.
- (b) It is a computer network across a public internet that provides users access to their organization's network while maintaining the security of the information transmitted.
- (c) It is a computer network in which users can access a shared pool of computing resources through a service provider.
- (d) None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is a correct description of Virtual Private Network.
Answer: (b) It is a computer network across a public internet that provides users access to their organization's network while maintaining the security of the information transmitted.
Explanation
What a Virtual Private Network (VPN) actually is
A VPN extends secure, private network access over a public network infrastructure.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) A private network where remote users send encrypted info through the organization's server | Incorrect | This description is close but imprecise — it misses that a VPN works specifically over a public network (the internet), not just 'a private network' generically |
| (b) A network across a public internet giving secure access to the organization's network | Correct | This precisely captures a VPN: it uses the public internet as the transport medium while maintaining security (encryption) for the organization's private network access |
| (c) A network where users access a shared pool of computing resources via a service provider | Incorrect | This describes cloud computing, not a VPN |
| (d) None of the above is correct | Incorrect | Option (b) is correct, so this is wrong |
VPN basics:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Transport medium | Public internet |
| Security mechanism | Encryption, creating a secure 'tunnel' |
| Purpose | Let remote users securely access an organization's private network |
Answer: (b) It is a computer network across a public internet that provides users access to their organization's network while maintaining the security of the information transmitted.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. This describes a network without emphasizing the defining feature: operating over the public internet securely.
- (b) CORRECT. A VPN uses the public internet as its transport medium while maintaining secure, encrypted access to an organization's private network.
- (c) Incorrect. This describes cloud computing (shared resource pools via a service provider), not a VPN.
- (d) Incorrect. Option (b) accurately describes a VPN, so 'none of the above' is wrong.
Key point
A VPN provides secure, encrypted access to an organization's private network OVER THE PUBLIC INTERNET — distinct from a private-only network (option a) or cloud computing (option c).
Remember
VPN: secure, encrypted access to an organization's private network, transported over the PUBLIC internet.
Common mistakes
- Confusing a VPN with a cloud computing service (shared resource pools).
- Missing that a VPN's defining feature is operating over the public internet, not a dedicated private line.
- Describing a VPN without mentioning its core security/encryption mechanism.
Exam tip
VPN = public internet + encryption + secure access to a private network. Don't confuse it with cloud computing's shared-resource model.
Sources
- Internet Engineering Task Force — RFC 4026: Provider Provisioned Virtual Private Network (VPN) Terminology (2005)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — virtual private network