Does OpenVPN really use IPSec-over-UDP ?

alexeypolo

Hello,
I am bringing up a VPN server node, which needs to support both IPSec and TLS/SSL vpns. The IPSec traffic is going to be accelerated with DPDK. Since DPDK works at L2/3, it cannot accelerate higher level traffic (at least not at protocol level). Until today I thought that OpenVPN has no relation to IPSec and a s a result, I will be only be able to accelerate OpenVPN crypto operations (if any).

However, I came across this "Why OpenVPN" documentation: https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/335-why-openvpn.html
It says that OpenVPN over UDP actually uses IPSec ESP tunnel !!!
Is this true or is it a typo?
I looked for ipsec in the source repo on github, but didn't find anything that would suggest that IPSec tunnel is actually used.

Appreciate your help!
Alexey

FalconTent

alexeypolo wroteIt says that OpenVPN over UDP actually uses IPSec ESP tunnel !!!

It actually says:

OpenVPN's security model is based on using SSL/TLS for session authentication and the IPSec ESP protocol for secure tunnel transport over UDP

which I believe means .. the same Idea but not the same protocol.

OpenVPN protocol is not compatible with IPSec protocol .. nor vice-versa ..

Questions regarding IPSec come up from time to time possibly because some of the documentation has not been suitably revised .. due to time constraints of the developers.