To address this problem, Rogers recommended that the school board use data encryption to protect network traffic, and proposed Ravlin from RedCreek Communications as an appropriate and cost-effective solution. Ravlin is a hardware-based system that encrypts data automatically, a process that is virtually invisible to end users. In a VPN, virtual tunnels between user sites are established over a shared network, such as a cable network. These tunnels allow a private network to be built on a shared network infrastructure, but function with the simplicity of a private network. Using tunnels, for example, a single address can be associated with another address without going through complicated setups or procedures.
Tunnels make setup procedures automatic, eliminating many administrative tasks.
Tunneling capability enabled Rogers to use RedCreek Ravlin units in each school as a substitute for routers. The school board considered the option of putting a router at each site, but rejected it. Once the objectives and components were settled, installation began. Optical fiber cable is run directly into the school board's administration building where the central server is located and where the school sites access student records and other information. A mixture of fiber and coaxial cable brings connections to the individual schools.