What a VPN is
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) lets you create a secure, encrypted connection between your device and a remote server. It's as if you were physically connected to a private network, even if you're somewhere else.
When you use a VPN, your internet traffic is encrypted, making it extremely difficult for third parties (such as hackers, ISPs, or government entities) to intercept the data you send or receive.
When you connect to a VPN, your device creates an encrypted tunnel to a remote server. All traffic (browsing, email, downloads) securely passes through that tunnel. Websites will see only the IP address of the VPN server, not yours. The response data returns through the same tunnel and is decrypted by your device.
Remember that a VPN doesn't make you invulnerable: always use antivirus software, avoid phishing attempts, and browse cautiously.
Type of VPN Tunnel service
Aruba Cloud's VPN Tunnel service is site-to-site. It creates a permanent encrypted virtual tunnel between the public network of Aruba Cloud services and your network (on-premises). This allows devices on both networks to communicate as if they were on the same LAN (Local Area Network). You can configure the VPN Tunnel at the network level, without installing anything on individual devices.
Why choose the VPN Tunnel service
- Security: the VPN Tunnel encrypts traffic between the two networks (Aruba Cloud and on-premises), protecting data from unauthorized access during transmission; the service establishes secure, private sessions with IP Security (IPsec) tunnels, enabling you to connect to a VPC Network just like connecting to a local server;
- Strong authentication: supports various authentication mechanisms (IKEv2) to protect network access;
- End-to-end encryption: all data transmitted through the VPN is encrypted, ensuring confidentiality;
- Remote access: securely access Aruba Cloud resources from anywhere with an internet connection;
- Environment integration: seamlessly integrate applications and services that reside both in Aruba Cloud and on-premises;
- Business continuity: in case of incidents, you can use the VPN Tunnel to restore services quickly;
- Flexibility: adapt it to your security and performance needs;
- Automatic scalability: automatically adapts to traffic variations, ensuring optimal performance;
Who can activate the VPN Tunnel service
To activate the VPN Tunnel service, you must have an active
VPC Network on Aruba Cloud and your public IP address (computer, home network, corporate network, another cloud service provider, etc.).
How many VPN Tunnels can I activate in a VPC Network
The maximum number of VPN Tunnels you can activate in a VPC Network is ten.
Supported protocols
The VPN Tunnel service is based on standard security protocols: IPsec and IKEv2.
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IPsec (Internet Protocol Security)
IPsec is a suite of protocols that lets you create a secure tunnel between two networks, preventing eavesdropping or tampering. The service uses two main components:
- ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload): encrypts data, making it unreadable to unauthorized parties;
- AH (Authentication Header): ensures that data has not been altered during transfer.
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IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange v2)
IKEv2 is the protocol that establishes and maintains the VPN connection. It ensures both networks recognize each other and agree on the encryption keys to use, without manual intervention. IKEv2 is also very stable: if you briefly lose your internet connection, the VPN reconnects automatically as soon as possible.
These protocols ensure your traffic is always protected, stable, and private, even if connectivity issues occur.
Steps to create your first VPN Tunnel
- You must have an Elastic IP in the Not in use state (this IP address will also be used to create subsequent VPN Tunnels);
- create a VPN Tunnel:
- assign name and tags;
- select an Elastic IP;
- enter your public IP address;
- configure the IKE Group;
- configure the PSK (Pre-Shared Key);
- configure the ESP Group;
- create a subnet (this network will also be used to create subsequent VPN Tunnels);
- choose billing;
- create a VPN Route;
- assign name and tags;
- select the subnet and enter your private subnet;
- choose billing;
- check that the service is configured correctly.