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SERVICES & SOLUTIONS

VPN Support

Contact Information: IMS Service Desk, 210-567-7777

Requirements:

  • You must have a valid UT Health Science Center computer/network account
  • To obtain instructions on acquiring an account call 210-567-7777

General Questions:

Q: What is VPN, why do I need it, and when should I use it?
A: With so much emphasis being directed to network security, many different technologies are being deployed to help deter, if not eliminate unauthorized and often malicious access to private networks (UTHSCSA computer network). Generally, public networks have very restricted access to private networks. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a network technology that is constructed by using publicly accessible networking services (Internet providers) to securely connect private networks and nodes. The VPN environment uses user-level authentication, encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the private network and that the data cannot be intercepted.

Q: Do I still need to have an Internet Service Provider (ISP) like Road Runner, AT&T, DSL, etc.?
A: Yes. VPN works along with your ISP to give a secure connection between your home computer and the UT Health Science Center campus. VPN does not replace your ISP, it works to protect data transmissions from being intercepted by a third party.

Q: Who needs the VPN software?
A: All UT Health Science Center faculty, staff and students who need remote access from an internet connection point to the private UT Health Science Center computer network should use the VPN connection. Once a VPN connection is established, the end user appears (virtually) to be directly connected to the UT Health Science Center computer network with all of the access rights granted to normal, campus connected users. Another property of the VPN is that once the VPN is established, the end user node appears to have a local UT Health Science Center Internet (IP) address, which is required to access some specific applications (Library).

Q: Will I need to learn a new program to use VPN?
A: No. You will not need to learn a new program. Once you install VPN you will only need to click on the VPN icon to connect. You will see no difference in your programs, and there are no new applications to learn.

Q: What are VPN system requirements?
A:You must have a valid UT Health Science Center computer/network account. If you do not, please call the Information Management Client Support Services (Service Desk) at (210) 567-7777 to obtain instructions on how to acquire an account.