What this book covers
Chapter 1, Introduction to OpenVPN, discusses the various types of Virtual Private Networks and some of their various strengths and weaknesses. PPTP, OpenVPN, IPSec, and other protocols are also discussed in this chapter.
Chapter 2, Point-to-point Mode, covers the OpenVPN roots, point-to-point mode, and the initially only supported mode. It also covers the tap mode in a bridged scenario and an uncommon configuration.
Chapter 3, PKIs and Certificates, explains the complex concept of X.509 certificates and PKIs with examples and a demonstration of a couple of utilities. It also covers how to create a certificate chain and deploy that chain to their VPN.
Chapter 4, Client/Server Mode with tun Devices, walks you through the most common deployment mode, a tun or routed, and its setup. It also discusses the passing of client-backed routes along with IPv4 and IPv6.
Chapter 5, Advanced Deployment Scenarios in tun Mode, covers policy-based routing and configuring OpenVPN to integrate your VPN clients with the rest of the LAN. Complex examples of tun mode are examined, showing that they are appropriate even in advanced scenarios.
Chapter 6, Client/Server Mode with tap Devices, discusses the often misused and less commonly deployed tap or bridged mode VPNs. Solid examples of broadcast and OSI layer 2 traffic are demonstrated in this chapter.
Chapter 7, Scripting and Plugins, helps you gain an understanding of the methods to extent the VPN, including authentication, routing, and protocol enhancements. This chapter helps an administrator create a local experience for a worker or a user on the move.
Chapter 8, Using OpenVPN on Mobile Devices and Home Routers, helps you learn how to use home router OSes and features to deploy OpenVPN. We understand that it's not just enterprise or commercial users looking to protect their privacy and data. Increasingly, home users desire to deploy secure connections to their home resources.
Chapter 9, Troubleshooting and Tuning, will help you become an expert in your OpenVPN deployment by learning how to troubleshoot problems and bugs. The ability to identify issues creates a solid and reliable installation and confidence in your users.
Chapter 10, Future Directions, gives you a brief history and lengthier discussion of the future direction of OpenVPN, and the mindset of the developers is revealed. It also helps you understand the reasoning and history behind the various decisions behind features and bugs.
