VPN Communication Between Enterprise Branches and the Headquarters Through 5G Links

When an enterprise branch connects to the headquarters through a 5G link to implement VPN communication, the enterprise branch can use a 5G cellular interface as an Ethernet interface to implement Layer 3 IP forwarding. Based on VPN application scenarios, the scenarios where an enterprise branch and the headquarters are connected through a 5G link can be classified into the following types:

• Dedicated APN: A carrier provides the virtual private dial-up network (VPDN) service for the enterprise branch to access the enterprise headquarters, as shown in Figure 13-7.
• Traditional VPN: An enterprise branch can dial up to the Internet through a 5G link and establish a tunnel with the headquarters using VPN technologies such as Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE), Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), and Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) VPN. This tunnel allows the enterprise branch to communicate with the headquarters in a fast, secure, and efficient way, as shown in Figure 13-8.
• Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN): 5G links provide advantages such as high bandwidth and fast provisioning, and can be used as an important supplement to Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) leased lines. In addition, 5G links are managed and controlled by the network controller Agile Controller (AC) in a unified manner, and functions such as Ethernet VPN (EVPN) and intelligent traffic steering can be configured on routers, as shown in Figure 13-9.

Figure 13-7 VPN communication between an enterprise branch and the headquarters through a 5G link (in a dedicated APN scenario)

Figure 13-8 VPN communication between an enterprise branch and the headquarters through a 5G link (in a traditional VPN scenario)

Figure 13-9 VPN communication between an enterprise branch and the headquarters through a 5G link (in an SD-WAN scenario)