OpenVPN: Building and Integrating Virtual Private Networks - Second Edition

Build private and secure networks with OpenVPN to implement Virtual Private Networks

About This Book

• See how easy it is to use the great features that this versatile security and networking tool has to offer
• The authors have been using this book for OpenVPN trainings in renowned training centers.
• A practical guide to using OpenVPN to build both basic and complex Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for beginners and experts alike

Who This Book Is For

This book is for both experienced and new OpenVPN users. If you are interested in security and privacy on the Internet, or want to have your notebook, mobile phone, or home or company server connected safely to the Internet, then you will find this book useful. It presumes basic knowledge of Linux, but no knowledge of VPNs is required.

What You Will Learn

• Be introduced to the basics of networking and security , the nature of VPNs, and OpenVPN in particular
• Install OpenVPN on Windows, Apple, Linux, Android, BSD, and iOS devices
• Take a look at topics on encryption, symmetric and asymmetric keying, and certificates
• Find out about OpenVPN, its development, features, resources, advantages, and disadvantages compared to other VPN solutions, especially IPsec
• Create X.509 server and client certificates for use with OpenVPN and debug and monitor VPN tunnels
• Analyze the flow of datagrams between the VPN servers and connected networks with tools such as ifconfig, ping, traceroute, and mtr for monitoring and troubleshooting
• Integrate OpenVPN with authentication services
• Use OpenVPN's scripting hooks to achieve automatic management features for large-scale setups

In Detail

OpenVPN is a powerful, open source tool for anybody who is concerned about privacy and wants to guarantee security and reliability of their networks, as well as stopping eaves-dropping and espionage intrusion. As an SSL VPN application, OpenVPN can secure site-to-site connections, WiFi, and enterprise-scale remote connections. Experts have called OpenVPN the “Swiss Army knife of secure networking.”

This practical guide will show you how to use OpenVPN to build both basic and complex VPNs. We start from the very basics and lead you in detail into the ocean of possibilities that OpenVPN has to offer. It will save you a lot of time and help you build better network connections that suit your requirements in terms of privacy, reliability, and security. It starts with an introduction to the theory of VPNs and OpenVPN, followed by simple installation examples for almost every available platform.

After a concise and ordered list of OpenVPN's parameters, we dive into connecting several machines in a safe way, and troubleshooting and monitoring the connections. The latter part of the book deals with professional and high-end scenarios, including high availability, and directory integration for authentication and deployment. By the end of the book, you will be an expert in VPN, security, and especially OpenVPN.