AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Business solution to host your own OpenVPN server with web management interface and bundled clients.
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nsen
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AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by nsen » Wed Mar 14, 2018 5:52 pm

The AMIs listed on this page doesn't seem to be available.

https://docs.openvpn.net/how-to-tutoria ... art-guide/

I did a search and used a public OpenVPN Access Server AMI but they keep "vanishing". Where can I get a list of valid community Access Server AMI in AWS?

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novaflash
OpenVPN Inc.
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:12 pm

Interesting, I will update the link to that page to the correct one:
https://docs.openvpn.net/getting-starte ... art-guide/
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

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novaflash
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:18 pm

Actually, I was just informed there's a reason for this other page..? I'll ask internally and take whatever action necessary to fix or update this.
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

nsen
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by nsen » Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:29 pm

Is there another page out there that lists the current valid AMIs?

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novaflash
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:40 pm

Not at this time, the AMI's are being changed at this very moment.
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nsen
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by nsen » Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:44 pm

When I search for and try to use openvpn access server AMIs, they all fail to install as they are Marketplace AMIs and I need to subscribe to them in Marketplace. Is there any change of strategy within openvpn to not provide public community version of the access server AMIs?

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novaflash
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:21 am

Our Marketplace image here does not require paying for its use (aside from the standard amazon costs for running an instance):
https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/B ... duct_title

What's the problem with just using this? The guide for this is here:
https://docs.openvpn.net/getting-starte ... art-guide/
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

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novaflash
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:29 am

So to clarify, what I'm trying to figure out is if we even need to support the community AMIs anymore. The image above can be used by anyone on Amazon AWS as far as I know, and is our officially supported image, and does not require a license key to function, and does not require any payment other than what you normally pay for launching an instance on AWS. So what valid reason is there to maintain two separate versions?
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

nsen
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by nsen » Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:24 pm

To use the AMI in AWS Marketplace, you need to subscribe to them first (which are not required for the community AMIs). So, any automation you do to launch openVPN (as part of a larger solution) fails as the AMI is not subscribed to in the first place.

nsen
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by nsen » Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:27 pm

If openvpn is not going to maintain a community version of the AMI (which is fine), I need to know so that we can create our own image from first principles and install openvpn from the binaries published by openvpn. A AWS Marketplace based image is not going to cut it for us.

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novaflash
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:30 pm

And why can you not automate subscribing? Pretty sure aws-cli can do that.

I am now speaking as purely myself but I really don't see the point of doing double work; managing 2 different AMIs that are doing the exact same thing. Now if there was a valid reason to maintain two completely different systems that do the exact same thing, then sure, but so far I'm not being convinced yet.
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

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novaflash
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Re: AWS Community OpenVPN Access Server AMI

Post by novaflash » Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:30 pm

And besides, doing an installation of OpenVPN Access Server on a standard Ubuntu image is child's play, it's literally like 3 lines of codes or so.
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

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