Jim Jackson – University of Leeds

100 things to do with a VPN server

I run a wired switched 100M ethernet to the desktop network, with gigabit core, for our computing department, and some professors were pushing like mad for a downgrade to shared 11M insecure wireless networking for their laptops that they quite happily plug into the mains – go figure!

I needed security, didn’t trust WEP, and anyway wanted a fairly idiot proof solution – in and managing WEP keys doesn’t cut it. Also under pressure to provide authenticated access to departmental LAN for students and there were a couple of minor reasons to provide VPN for people working from home. Then I had that Eureka moment – do it all using a VPN service.

This talk describes the implementation of the VPN service using OpenSource software on a Linux platform, and how we developed the service to provide a secure wireless network, and secure student access. Oh did I mention idiot proof? Senior Profs up and running under own steam in 10 mins – QED.

Slides

• PDF
• OpenOffice.org presentation