NOTE: You will need Purdue's two-factor authentication to access the VPN service.
What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
Virtual Private Networking is a method by which a user can access an organization's internal network over the internet in a secure manner. A VPN provides users who are not on that internal network secure access to resources inside it. This is done by creating tunnels that wrap data packets destined for the internal network and then encrypting those packets to send them safely across the internet. More detailed information can be found in Wikipedia.
That's great, so why should I use Purdue's VPN service?
By using Purdue's VPN service you can access resources that are only available on campus from the comfort of your own home. You could map your home directory to a drive on your home computer, print anything to any campus printer so you can pick it up when you get to campus, access course materials you might not otherwise be able to access from home, and more. You don't necessarily have to be at home either: Purdue's VPN service can be accessed from anywhere in the world, day or night.
OK I'm sold. How do I get connected?
How you connect depends on whether you have administrator access on your computer. If your department's IT staff administers your computer, you will need to contact them to install the VPN client for you. If you maintain your own computer, you can go to the Community Hub to download the software and follow the normal software installation process. You want the Cisco AnyConnect software under Antivirus and Security Software on the Community Hub. Once the AnyConnect client installs you will be prompted for the name of the VPN server. Unless you have a custom profile, use webvpn2.purdue.edu. If your department has a custom profile then your department IT staff can tell you the correct configuration options.
Note: the login box in AnyConnect will not look like the usual login box. When logging into the Purdue VPN, users will need to enter their password followed by a comma and then push (i.e. password,push).