Do you or your employees need to access your corporate network - e-mail, company files - from home or on the road? If so, it pays to know your options for remote access.

The most established form of remote access is known as "direct dial," where an outside modem dials into your corporate network. But these days, you could also install a virtual private network, or VPN, where you dial in via the Internet. So what's best?

It depends on what your priorities are and how often you'll need access. For guaranteed performance, for example, direct dial still wins. It's just like making a phone call: dial the number, get a connection. This is certainly more reliable than VPN, which relies on a not-always-guaranteed Internet connection to work.

But direct dial also resembles a phone call in less appealing ways -- like those pesky per-minute charges. Depending on where your employees are, you could be talking some serious long distance. The only transmission charges a VPN incurs are calls to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). As long as you have a local number to call from offsite, your ongoing transmission costs can be next to nothing.

So how do you set up a VPN or direct dial?

The least expensive VPN solution, at least for smaller businesses, is to buy either an out-of-the box appliance or a software package that runs on a standard server.

A VPN appliance that can simultaneously handle up to 50 users averages around $3,500. Packages generally offer unlimited licenses so you can offer VPN access to as many people as you like, but it will still only handle a total of 50 users at any given time.

Turn to a software vendor specializing in Internet security for VPN software. Expect to pay about $500 for your server software and around $70 for each client (desktop PC or notebook computer) you add to your network. You'll also need a server ($3,000 to $5,000) if you don't have one ready to use.

Larger firms with more complex needs will often opt to outsource their VPN operations to a telecommunications service provider. This typically includes high annual subscription fees, starting at around $800.

Direct dial is also available as an out-of-the-box appliance, but pricing can vary significantly depending on the size of your company and your Internet configuration -- from $1,500 to support up to eight users with analog lines and an Ethernet connection to as much as $20,000 to support up to 48 users with digital lines and two high-speed direct connections.

If remote access will be minimal, direct dial should suit you fine. But if you expect those minutes to add up, a VPN may be the better choice.

Already have direct dial? Many small businesses that already have direct dial access are finding that instead of simply choosing VPN to replace direct dial, they can be most cost-effective by using a combination of the two.

Talk to your vendor about customizing a solution that will work best with your budget and your priorities. No matter which method you choose, you can make sure that your employees, no matter where they are, are always dialed in.

Quick tips

What does "virtually private" mean? A VPN allows you to encrypt data before it is sent through the Internet, making it unreadable to unauthorized recipients. Guaranteed service? Since Internet performance is unpredictable, make sure a VPN service provider offers a clear policy for crediting your account if service interruptions occur. Hack the hackers. Have highly sensitive data to transport? Have a consultant help you customize a solution that will incorporate a variety of Internet security solutions for your VPN.