Setting up VPN for 3 offices with windows 2003 server

I was wondering if you guys can help me out with my situation.
I need to setup 3 offices; Corp Office and 2 branch offices.


The corp office will be housing one single database and I need to setup
the 2 branch offices to have constant connection to the corp office for
the users in the branch office to access the database. Each of the
branch office consist of 30 users.


Each office will have its own windows 2003 server.


What would be the best and most secure way to set this up? I want to
avoid cisco if its possible(cost).


Thanks in advance!

you may want to setup two site to site VPNs. quoted from http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup A Windows Site-to-Site VPN Connection

To setup a Site-to-Site VPN Connection , you may need to configure two windows servers for the Answering and Calling Routers. Here are the steps:

1. Run RRAS, on Configuration page, select LAN routing.
2. Configure VPN on the Answering Router.
3. Configure the Demand-dial Interface on the Answering Router.
4. Configure VPN on the Calling Router.
5. Configure the Demand-dial Interface on the Calling Router.
6. Confirm the Remote Access Policy Configuration on the Answering and Calling Routers.

Don't send e-mail or reply to me except you need consulting services. Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more help.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
How to Setup Windows, Network, Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties.

"Steve" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:0C3F6AB6-D608-4BE4-AD19-(E-Mail Removed)...
I was wondering if you guys can help me out with my situation.
I need to setup 3 offices; Corp Office and 2 branch offices.


The corp office will be housing one single database and I need to setup
the 2 branch offices to have constant connection to the corp office for
the users in the branch office to access the database. Each of the
branch office consist of 30 users.


Each office will have its own windows 2003 server.


What would be the best and most secure way to set this up? I want to
avoid cisco if its possible(cost).


Thanks in advance!

You could also look at a hardware VPN solution. Prices are coming down.
If you use Windows VPN routers, it will work more smoothly if you use
dedicated routers for the VPN. In particular, avoid using DCs as routers if
possible!

Bear in mind that a VPN link may be too slow to run database
applications. You might like to consider running the database apps on
Terminal Services, so that the database client app runs on the high-speed
LAN with the database server.

Robert L [MS-MVP] wrote:
> you may want to setup two site to site VPNs. quoted from
> http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup A Windows Site-to-Site VPN Connection
>
> To setup a Site-to-Site VPN Connection , you may need to configure
> two windows servers for the Answering and Calling Routers. Here are
> the steps:
>
> 1. Run RRAS, on Configuration page, select LAN routing.
> 2. Configure VPN on the Answering Router.
> 3. Configure the Demand-dial Interface on the Answering Router.
> 4. Configure VPN on the Calling Router.
> 5. Configure the Demand-dial Interface on the Calling Router.
> 6. Confirm the Remote Access Policy Configuration on the Answering
> and Calling Routers.
>
> Don't send e-mail or reply to me except you need consulting services.
> Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more
> help.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> How to Setup Windows, Network, Remote Access on
> http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
> http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties.
>
> "Steve" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:0C3F6AB6-D608-4BE4-AD19-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I was wondering if you guys can help me out with my situation.
> I need to setup 3 offices; Corp Office and 2 branch offices.
>
>
> The corp office will be housing one single database and I need to
> setup
> the 2 branch offices to have constant connection to the corp office
> for
> the users in the branch office to access the database. Each of the
> branch office consist of 30 users.
>
>
> Each office will have its own windows 2003 server.
>
>
> What would be the best and most secure way to set this up? I want to
> avoid cisco if its possible(cost).
>
>
> Thanks in advance!