This scenario is based by direct HTTP connection via exposed web service, accessible without VPN. This can be a very common situation nowadays too, as it’s just like a website or a web API, and it’s cheap! VPN connections can be the main cause of delays between two points. A secure tunnel brings delay into the equation by itself.
We’ll be exposing the REST Service (on-premises), and connecting the client application via HTTP (Azure), transmitting the same messages as previous tests.
Starting at 10kb, then 100kb and 5Mb. 10kb, only a fifth (1/5) of an average HTML file. For instance, Google main page size is 392.8 kB in total.
Exposed services. The hackers’ paradise and snoopers’ ocean. A security risk for sure. VPN protects you from all that. It’s a secure tunnel to anywhere.
Test #3 10kb message
After changing port forwarding configurations in our on-prem router, we’re able to expose our REST web service, listening on port 65443 (a random port was chosen). This will be for testing purposes only and will be removed immediately after all testing’s done (for security reasons).
Results are in! It took almost the same time as before (with TeamViewer VPN)! This is amazing, because the VPN we used added no delay whatsoever, at least for this message size! Execution times peaked at ~55ms.
Test #3 100kb message
Now for 100kb of text. Will HTTP be faster than HTTP over VPN?
WOW! Less ~40ms each! TeamViewer VPN is losing ground now! This took ~60ms each for 100kb of data. This is almost half the time that VPN took! How about 5MB of data?
Test #3 5MB message
The ultimate 5MB of text over HTTP. No explaining needed here… Image speaks by itself.
Wait, didn’t TeamViewer VPN take ~1600ms each to execute? This is very surprising, as we start to notice serious delay due to VPN! ~1.2 seconds each is what HTTP takes to execute a request and a 5MB response. If you do the math, for each 10 messages, you save ~4 seconds! That’s a lot!
Overall test discussion
Well this is a no brainer. TeamViewer VPN didn’t stand a chance here. For 10kb of data, the results are nearly the same. Neither VPN or HTTP (no VPN) struggled with 10kb, but 100kb and 5MB came with a lot of differences. No VPN proved to be faster in larger messages, but VPN provides a safer, encrypted transmission. I call this your decision: Speed over Security. Exposed services are a serious risk, but VPN is a bit slower. In execution time, HTTP without VPN is clearly a winner here.
Test#4 on the next post!
