Method and system for adaptively applying performance enhancing functions

An approach for adaptively providing network performance enhancing functions in a secure environment, such as a virtual private network, is disclosed. Traffic, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) packets, is received for transport over an access network (307) (e.g., satellite network). Next, characteristics (e.g., latency) of the access network (307) are determined. A connection (109, 111) (which supports the performance enhancing functions) is selectively established based on the determined characteristics for transport the received packets over the access network (307). An encrypted tunnel (113) is provided over the established connection (109, 111) to transmit the received packets.