Virtual Private Networks

Recently I worked a deal with my current employer that allows me to work from my home in Utah one week a month. While my home is in the Salt Lake area, my office is in the San Francisco area and requires that I travel every Monday and Friday. This is the week I am home and I have to say it is a welcome change.

Computers greatly facilitate working from home. Since I spend most of my time in front of a screen in the office, it only stands to reason that I could just as easily spend that time at home in front of a similar screen. The only thing missing is the interaction with my co-workers. Fortunately for this week, that is a bonus as I have some software development to do and really don't want to be bothered by anyone.

Security is a key part of my job and so one of the technologies that allows me to work from home is a virtual private network or VPN. When I first start my computer in the morning, I have to run a simple program that asks for 3 different passwords. One is the usual password I use to log into the network when I am in the office. The other two are groups of numbers. The first number is a personal identification number that I have memorized and the second comes from a small electronic device I keep on my key chain. It generates a predictable-random number every 30 seconds. Once everything is entered, I click the connect button and my computer looks like it is part of my work network. My connection is only good for 8 hours. At the end of that time period, I get automatically logged off.

I like being able to work from home one week a month. It gives me more time to do those things that are normally done in the evening, like playing catch with my son, or replacing the fog light bulbs in my car. However there is a weak link with my VPN configuration, if I ever forget any of my passwords or lose my key chain FOB, I won't be able to work. OK, I don't really worry about my passwords, but I do worry about that little FOB. So far it seems fairly indestructible as I have accidentally taken it swimming and discovered it is waterproof. For the record, it wasn't an accident that the FOB was in my pocket, it was an accident that I went swimming wearing my street clothes. Sometimes that happens when you live part time on a boat.