There are 4 different types of data tunneling protocols available. These are:
PPTP or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol L2TP IPSec or Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol Security SSTP or Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol IKEv2 or Internet Key Exchange Version 2
Windows 7 supports compatibility with all of the aforementioned 4 data
tunneling protocols but the best protocol is the one that offers the
safest data tunnel with seamless VPN connectivity.
So let’s go on evaluating each protocol and rank them according to the last-place-first rule.
Position # 4: PPTP – The first to lose the battle is the PPTP. Being
the oldest tunneling protocol out of the bunch, PPTP is widely known to
have considerable security loopholes that can be exploited by skilled
and experienced hackers. Although PPTP is still extensively used, it is
the least secure protocol of the bunch here and that is why it deserves
the last spot on this list.
Position # 3: L2TP IPSEC – The next
to go is the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol. The L2TP is a successor to the
PPTP with the added support of Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) by
Cisco Systems. Moreover, the L2TP protocol utilizes the L2F or Layer 2
Forwarding capability developed by Cisco Systems. While all this
technology ensures a secure method of data tunneling, it does pose
problems while passing through firewalls, NAT devices, and proxy
servers. Moreover, L2TP requires a pre-shared key for authentication and
this key cannot be absolutely secure.
Position # 2: SSTP – The
successor to the L2TP is the Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol. The SSTP
addresses the problems of the L2TP by utilizing the Hyper Text Transfer
Protocol over a Secure Socket Layer. The use of HTTP on top of SSL
results in a hybrid protocol that is commonly known as HTTPS. HTTPS
technology integrates easily with firewall to ensure seamless operation
of SSTP.
Position # 1: IKEv2 – This is the latest data
tunneling protocol compatible with Windows 7. The Internet Key Exchange
Version 2 employs a wide variety of protocols to tunnel user data like:
Internet Protocol Security Tunnel Mode Internet Protocol Security Key Negotiation Encapsulating Security Payload Mobility and Multi-Homing Protocol Mobility Manager
Apart from offering the most secure data tunneling and the most
seamless VPN connection, the IKEv2 offers a unique benefit called IP
Persistence. IP Persistence works by maintaining a VPN connection for
the short period of time internet services drop or get disconnected and
then get reconnected again. By holding on to the existing IP address, IP
Persistence ensures that the VPN connection does not have to go through
the entire process of establishing a VPN connection again.
