In 2024, security and privacy are growing and pressing concerns for users. Unsurprisingly, businesses are increasingly concerned about the security of their data, given that the average Internet user is at risk of insecure browsing.
Businesses that have implemented a remote work structure are now addressing the issue of ensuring that employees can securely connect to the company’s cyber infrastructure.
Thankfully, cybersecurity organizations offer a diverse array of options. However, it is challenging to preserve vital assets while maintaining the level of employee comfort with their utilization.
A secure network access solution, such as NordLayer, safeguards enterprises from internet risks while maintaining productivity.
With infrastructure tailored for businesses of varying sizes, Nord Layer is an asset to any organization. However, what is it, and is it worthwhile? Let’s discuss all of the above and more below.
Content Outline
NordLayer Review 2024: What is NordLayer?
NordLayer, formerly known as NordVPN Teams before it debuted on December 4, 2019, is a network access solution for businesses of all sizes.
NordLayer offers a wealth of capabilities that enable enterprises to manage specific network characteristics, focusing on cybersecurity.
To break it down, NordLayer provides a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for businesses that organization members may utilize to protect critical company data.
This secure connection from NordLayer protects vital corporate assets by establishing quick and secure tunnels between users and the core business infrastructure.
With intelligent categorization and access control tools, NordLayer safeguards businesses’ data of all sizes.
Therefore, whether you’re a multimillion-dollar corporation or a start-up looking to secure your data, NordLayer can assist you.
Features of NordLayer
Even though NordLayer may be used effectively as a personal VPN, it also includes several capabilities that the average user would not know how to utilize.
This is because it is primarily a commercial VPN. In addition to the standard capabilities, such as disguising your actual IP address, it has many features that most businesses will appreciate.
These include:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Auto-connect
- ThreatBlock
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Network segmentation
- Dedicated IP
- Custom DNS
- Site-to-site (access to an organization’s internal data)
- Detection of jailbroken devices
Here are some of the most important ones.
1. 2FA and SSO
If you’re concerned about unauthorized VPN access (and, subsequently, the security of your company’s data), you should require your staff to utilize two-factor authentication.
Fortunately, NordLayer supports this functionality, and you can select whether to receive the code via email or SMS.
Additionally, NordLayer implements Single sign-on (SSO). In other words, a user needs only one set of credentials to access various applications for added convenience.
2. Network Segmentation
Network segmentation is an advanced function that can benefit businesses, particularly those with many employees.
It allows you to partition the network into subnetworks to increase network security and performance.
For instance, you can restrict access to your company’s financial reporting system by particular branches. In other words, you can control employee access to the organization’s resources.
3. ThreatBlock
This function is comparable to CyberSec on NordVPN, so you may already be familiar with it.
ThreatBlock will thereby prevent the user from accessing rogue websites that not only display harmful advertisements but may also steal vital company information.
I’m pleased to inform you that this functionality has passed all our tests. It prohibited advertisements from displaying and even disabled malware-containing pages made particularly for testing.
4. Auto-Connect
This is one of the features available in personal VPNs, such as the NordVPN app for standard users. This decreases the likelihood that an employee would forget to activate their VPN app.
Sadly, throughout our testing, the feature proved to be somewhat buggy: NordLayer’s server connection times were inconsistently lengthy
5. Dedicated Server With a Dedicated IP
When protecting a company’s resources, having a dedicated server with a fixed IP is one of the most crucial factors. This prohibits illegal access to documents, financial information, and other private information.
Currently, NordLayer provides alternatives for dedicated servers in 27 nations and more cities. You can have a dedicated server with a dedicated IP when you subscribe to the Advanced or Custom plan.
6. Jailbroken Device Detection
When a device has been jailbroken or rooted, all manufacturer-imposed restrictions are removed, allowing malware to be installed.
Such a device can pose a significant risk to a business where NordLayer comes in. The program detects jailbroken devices and alerts the user to potential security threats.
Nordlayer User Management
The user-friendly management panel (a web client and not an app) makes NordLayer one of the most user-friendly corporate VPN services for beginners.
Here’s what you can do with it:
- Bring in new members
- Teams can be expanded by adding members
- Add available gateways to new teams
- Set up new gateways and servers
- Keep track of user activity (active users/gateways)
- Configure 2FA and user login options
It is a pretty minimalistic control panel. The sections are:
- Organization: Here, you can manage your teams and individuals individually. You can add new members or gateways to other teams, for instance. You can check members’ status (Active, Invited, Suspended, Inactive).
- Network: In this section, you can manage information related to gateways and servers.
- Settings: Here, you can configure Smart Remote Access, a function that allows you to access company resources without an internet connection. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to complete the task; your account manager will assist you.
- Downloads: This section provides links to every NordLayer application. It also allows you to send staff manual configuration instructions.
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Is NordLayer Safe?
Yes, using NordLayer is entirely secure. It employs the military-grade AES-256 encryption standard, used by businesses requiring impeccable security, such as online banks and government agencies.
Regarding its tunneling techniques, NordLayer again does not disappoint. For instance, you can select NordLynx, the improved version of WireGuard offered by NordVPN.
It maintains the same speed while enhancing security. You can also utilize OpenVPN TCP or UDP, two VPN industry standards. IKEv2 is the most ideal protocol for mobile devices because of its stability.
Logging and Jurisdiction
Regarding the jurisdiction, however, we have significant reservations. Lagging privacy protection in the United States forced NordLayer to relocate from Panama in 2020.
You should review its logging policy to determine what data the service captures. Fortunately, the VPN’s logging rules are superior to competing commercial VPNs.
NordLayer will preserve your organization’s original IP and email address, as required for service provision.
Remember that the NordLayer website keeps more information about you, such as your operating system, IP address, cookie information, and browser information.
Speed Performance
Due to the quick NordLynx tunneling protocol deployment, NordLayer is a relatively fast VPN service. In the best circumstances, the program maintained 96 percent of the original download and upload speeds during our tests.
The speeds were superior to NordVPN’s, which is a remarkable accomplishment. The speeds with IKEv2 were also relatively decent, occasionally decreasing by no more than 20%.
In many situations, however, it decreased by approximately 40 percent, which, while not ideal, is still satisfactory. The speed reduction largely depended on the server’s distance from us.
In contrast, OpenVPN UDP occasionally preserved over 90 percent of the initial upload speed. However, the download speeds were significantly slower.
OpenVPN TCP slows down the speed even further, preserving, on average, only 12 percent of the initial download speed.
This performance decrease is expected, given that this tunneling protocol prioritizes security over speed. I experienced noticeable slowness when utilizing OpenVPN TCP, which was not the case with other protocols.
Nordlayer Plans & Pricing: How Much Does It Cost?
Unlike many other network security solutions, NordLayer’s pricing is transparent and excludes hidden fees or charges.
The pricing starts with a ‘Lite’ plan that costs $10 per user monthly, or $8 per month per user annually, for a total annual cost of $96.
A few features included with the Lite plan are 2 devices per account, 24/7 live customer service, multi-layer security, active monitoring reports, and administration tools.
The ‘Core’ plan is ideal for advanced security solutions and costs $14 per user monthly or $11 per user annually, which amounts to $132 annually.
This plan includes all the features of the Lite plan and includes additional features such as IP allowlisting, up to 30 virtual private gateway locations, 4 devices per account, customer DNS, and more.
The third plan is the ‘Premium’ plan, which has all the benefits of the Core plan and offers 6 devices per account, 10 cloud firewall rules, smart remote access, priority support, and a dedicated account manager.
In addition, you can contact NordLayer to create a custom solution for your business by selecting the ‘Custom’ plan. This is best for large companies with specific requirements and features.
NordLayer Support
The majority of the time, even the most sophisticated users encounter issues. For these situations and more, NordLayer provides a dedicated support center.
This service, like the standard NordVPN, comes with its own knowledge base, which covers the essentials well despite being a little rudimentary.
You may discover how to begin setting up a team, how NordLayer operates, and how to configure enhanced authentication features.
If you are experiencing connection issues, the dedicated directory will also assist you in resolving frequent problems.
Additionally, the web dashboard provides extensive help. You can initiate an instant chat where you will receive assistance within minutes.
Instead, you can send an email, and the support team will contact you. For those interested, the support area also includes a status checker that displays the current status of NordLayer’s servers.
Although we hope you won’t encounter any issues when using NordLayer, it’s comforting to know that assistance is readily available.
Is NordLayer right for my business?
With its comprehensive range of security and privacy features and low prices, NordLayer has shown to be a more than capable company security solution.
In a world full of cyber risks for individual users and organizations alike, this solution from the makers of the well-known NordVPN can be relied upon by enterprises of all sizes to protect important data.
Even if you’re a new business looking to establish a solid foundation, NordLayer’s Basic annual cost is plenty to get you started and keep you going.
Combining these features with a user-friendly application that maintains a high level of security, NordLayer is an enterprise-focused network solution that you should acquire immediately.
NordLayer Pros & Cons
Here are some of the pros & cons of Nordlayer:
Pros:
- Simple to use
- Live chat support 24×7
- SecurityBlock
- A cloud-based system
- There is no minimum number of users
- Provides access to Netflix
- Supports torrents
- Using NordLynx
- A reasonable price
Cons:
- There is no free trial
- Based in the United States
- iOS does not have a kill switch
- ThreatBlock does not work on mobile applications
Quick Links:
- NordVPN Review: Is It One Of The Fastest VPN Services?
- Ivacy VPN Review: How Safe Is It to Use?
- Hola VPN Review: Is This Free VPN Reliable?
Conclusion: NordLayer Review 2024
While NordLayer lacks some features seen in high-end network access control software, it is by far the simplest to integrate with an organization’s existing infrastructure.
In addition, Nord Security also has a NordLynx protocol that provides customers with a faster and more secure form of tunneling based on the WireGuard.
This should ensure that clients have a seamless and quick user experience.
