OpenVPN

Give remote teams controlled access to private network resources

OpenVPN provides business VPN products for organisations that need employees and devices to connect securely to company networks and applications from different locations. Its business offering is divided into a self-hosted option, Access Server, and a cloud-delivered service, CloudConnexa. Both are intended to protect connections through private tunnels, while giving administrators ways to control who or what can connect.

Choose between self-hosting and a cloud service

• Access Server: a self-hosted VPN for organisations that want control over their security architecture. The service lists deployment on IaaS providers, Docker, Linux, Hyper-V and VMware ESXi, as well as configurable access policies and private tunnelling.
• CloudConnexa: a cloud-delivered approach for connecting users and devices to private applications and network resources without operating the VPN service entirely on the organisation’s own infrastructure.
• Identity and device controls: the business offering describes verification based on identity, device and IP information, allowing administrators to define access policies for their environment.
• Traffic routing: Access Server can route internet traffic through the VPN, which may be useful when an organisation requires traffic to pass through its managed network.

Plan deployment around the organisation’s network

Before choosing a product, map the applications employees need, where those applications are hosted, the devices that must connect and the access rules required for each team. A self-hosted deployment gives the organisation responsibility for infrastructure, updates, availability and policy configuration; a cloud service shifts parts of that operation to a managed platform. Security teams should test authentication, device controls, logging, failover and user onboarding before broad rollout.

OpenVPN presents a free starting option and a demo route for its business products. Review current pricing, user limits, technical requirements, support terms and compliance documentation with the provider before deployment. A VPN is one part of a security programme: it does not replace identity governance, endpoint protection, patching or least-privilege access.

The products are online infrastructure services for distributed workplaces, IT teams and businesses, not a local networking shop. Select the architecture that fits the organisation’s operating capacity and existing network design.