Method and system for communicating over a segmented virtual private network (VPN)

A network device for supporting security in a communications network, the device comprising:

• a security peer configured to support a secure tunnel from a source node over a network to a destination node, wherein the nodes are external to the network;
• and
• a network performance peer configured to establish a connection for enhancing performance of the network for a portion of the secure tunnel that traverses the network.

A network device for supporting security in a communications network, the device comprising:

• means for supporting a secure tunnel from a source node over a network to a destination node, wherein the nodes are external to the network;
• and
• means for establishing a connection for enhancing performance of the network for a portion of the secure tunnel that traverses the network.

A method of providing a virtual private network (VPN) service over a high latency network, the method comprising:

• establishing a VPN tunnel over the network;
• and
• selectively establishing a connection over a segment of the VPN tunnel, wherein the connection supports performance enhancing proxying functions to minimize impact of the latency of the network.

A method of providing secure communication services, the method comprising:

• establishing a plurality of secure segments along a common communication path traversing a network;
• and
• establishing a connection that supports a mechanism for enhancing performance of the network, wherein the connection exists between two of the secure segments.