Aug

What is AWS Vpn? AWS Site to Site Vpn Connection Overview

08/08/2021 9:00 PM by Admin in Web

AWS Vpn introduction

Have you heard the term cloud computing? If yes then you have a basic idea of its workings. And if no, then stick to this article to gain absolute knowledge about cloud computing, its features, and working principles, etc.

Cloud computing as the name suggests everything is on the cloud where you can access, store, manage and update data easily. It is the delivery of online services like servers, databases, storage, software, and networking over the cloud to the users. You don’t need to buy, own, and maintain any servers or physical machines for that, rather you can access the services from a cloud provider. There are mainly three types of cloud computing are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).

There are many cloud computing providers available online that provide cloud management services to many companies and users. Some of them are AWS or amazon web services, Microsoft Azure, Google cloud platform, HP, Dell, IBM, and more. But the most popular cloud provider AWS or amazon web services cloud computing platform is being used widely. And AWS VPN (a virtual private network) is a cloud-based network infrastructure that provides VPN access globally to the end-users through a cloud platform over the Internet.

what is aws vpn and how to create it

What is AWS Vpn?

AWS Virtual Private Network is a cloud-based network infrastructure that provides VPN access globally to the end-users through a cloud platform over the Internet. AWS VPN helps to establish secure connections to the AWS cloud between from your device or network from different locations and at any time. AWS VPN allows securely accessing the private network through the public networks and sharing data remotely.

AWS-managed VPN is a hardware IPsec VPN that allows you to establish a secure connection over the public internet between Amazon VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) and your device. AWS VPN is quick and easy to set up connectivity options for individual users as well as small businesses. You can easily create a VPN server on AWS that helps to create a private network from a public internet connection.

How to Create a Free VPN Server on AWS?

Login to https://aws.amazon.com/vpn/
Create VPN Security Group
Create EC2 Instance
Disable the source/destination check
Create an elastic IP address
Install and configure the OpenVPN server
Add the Route
Grant Access to Your VPN
Revoke Access to Your VPN.

AWS Vpn Types

There are two types of AWS Vpn services, AWS Site-to-Site VPN and AWS Client VPN. Both the services allow you to create private network connections and provides securing browsing over the public connections. And also both the services are highly available, easily manageable, and very much secure with Amazon elastic cloud VPN that protects your network traffic.

AWS Site-to-Site VPN creates a virtual private network tunnel which is an encrypted link between your computer or mobile device or network and your Amazon cloud. You can connect your computer, or mobile device to another network where the IP address is hidden and all the data is encrypted while browsing the web.

AWS Client VPN is useful for remote access management where you can monitor and control access to a computer or network anywhere and anytime. It uses a VPN software client that connects the user to a VPN server for secure browsing.

AWS site to site Vpn

AWS site-to-site VPN is typically a one-to-one configuration between your office or data center and AWS cloud, with similar configurations, fixed IP address, and also restart or initiate the connection on either side. Here the network communication happens on both sides.

AWS site to site Vpn can be used for globally distributed platforms
It delivers high availability and great performance
It uses two VPN tunnels across various zones where if one goes down then the second one can be used as a backup.
It uses IP Security (IPSec) for secure and private sessions
AWS global accelerator helps to search for the nearest AWS network endpoint for browsing sessions
Monitors the VPN connections performance and health status using Amazon cloud watch

AWS Vpn Features

The two AWS Vpn services i.e. AWS site to site Vpn and client Vpn allows you to securely access the AWS cloud resources through a private network. Some of the features including both the AWS Vpn services are:-

AWS site to site Vpn provides secure online access using the free or OpenVPN
AWS site to site Vpnoffers customizable Vpn tunnel options that can be used for high availability
AWS site to site Vpn uses Amazon cloud watch for monitoring and higher visibility
AWS client Vpn provides a VPN solution that allows internet access from anywhere and anytime
AWS client Vpn provides network-based authorization that helps to limit networking access
AWS client Vpn provides secure connectivity using the TLS VPN tunnel protocol
AWS client Vpn also uses the Amazon cloud watch for monitoring, storing, and accessing the log files from it
AWS client Vpn allows you to connect any types of device to access the network

AWS VPN download

AWS Vpn is free to download and is available for Windows OS, macOS, and Ubuntu platforms. You can easily connect your PC or laptop directly to AWS Vpn for a better experience.

To download the AWS Vpn for Windows, your system must be having Windows 10 64-bit operating system, x64 processor, and .NET Framework 4.7.2 or higher.

In the case of AWS client Vpn, you have to download and install the client first before creating any network connections. And in AWS site-to-site Vpn, you have to manually create or setup the connection with a virtual private gateway or a transit gateway.

AWS VPN tutorial

A VPN is very much needed for any individual or business for safe and secure browsing over the internet connection. Getting a VPN can be tuff sometimes as sometimes you have to pay to use the service. But AWS Vpn allows you to use the VPN server for free and not a single penny is charged for it.

AWS Vpn tutorial helps you setup a VPN server on AWS by creating a free tier AWS account with one-year eligibility.

Setup OpenVPN server

Signup and login to your AWS account and search for EC2 service and click on Launch Instance.
Type OpenVPN on AWS marketplace page
Choose the OpenVPN access server with Free tier eligible option
Select the t2.micro from EC2 instance type, and click on review and launch to proceed
Select the VPC (virtual private cloud) for the EC2 instance
Choose the subnet for subnet settings
Review the security-based settings, check the ports, and click save
Create a key pair or choose the existing key pair to allow SSH access
Choose launch

AWS VPN client

AWS Vpn client offers the best VPN solution for your users to access from anywhere having an internet connection in the place. It allows your users to connect to both the AWS as well as the network within your organization. AWS Vpn client is linked to the AWS infrastructure, including VPC (virtual private cloud) and directory services that help to connect within the organization without changing any networks.

AWS Vpn client support multi-factor authentication that allows users to verify themselves before accessing a VPN
It uses a single VPN connection that allows the users to connect to AWS and networks within the organizations
It’s a pay as you go cloud VPN service that adds or restricts the users based on your requirements
Monitoring capacity where it helps to monitor all connections and the users from a single point
It allows the users to securely access the applications on AWS as well as network within the organization
Easily scalable as AWS Vpn client manages the performance and availability of VPN connections to the users

AWS VPN Connection

AWS Vpn provides a secure connection within your organization, devices, and AWS infrastructure. Both its types AWS site to site Vpn and AWS client Vpn provides fully managed and highly available VPN connections that safeguard your traffic on the network.

In AWS Vpn client the administrators and clients interact with the client VPN endpoint, but the administrator or the main authorized person

Set up and configures the VPN service
Creates the client VPN endpoint, target network, and configures the authorization rules
Downloads the client VPN endpoint configuration file and provide it to the clients for accessing the VPN
The client establishes a VPN session by connecting to the client VPN endpoint from a computer or any devices
Finally, the client can securely access the resources within the organization as well as AWS services

In AWS site-to-site Vpn connection, two VPN tunnels are used to create a secure connection between you and the internet.Each AWS site-to-site VPN connection has two tunnels having a unique virtual private gateway public IP address. When one tunnel becomes unavailable, another tunnel gets activated and network traffic is routed to it. To setup an AWS site to site Vpn connection:-

Create a customer gateway
Create a target gateway
Configure routing
Update your security group
Create a Site-to-Site VPN connection

Now Choose the site to site VPN connection in the menu

Create VPN connection
Provide the name to your connection
Choose from virtual private or transit gateway for target gateway type
Provide customer gateway ID which you created first
Choose from the routing options
Provide tunnel options if required, though it's optional
Create VPN connection
Download the configuration file
Configure the customer gateway device

AWS VPN vs Direct Connect

AWS Vpn helps you to create an encrypted connection over the public internet connection between your devices and Amazon cloud infrastructure.
AWS direct connect creates a secure and dedicated connection from your infrastructure into AWS.
AWS Vpn connect uses the public or shared networks whereas AWS direct connect uses the private connection method using a fiber-optic network
With AWS Vpn connect, you cannot access the AWS environment whereas the AWS environment is easily accessible through AWS direct connect
AWS Vpn is low-cost connectivity with unpredictable performance but AWS direct connect is a bit costly with predictable network performance
Bandwidth throughput is less in AWS Vpn and is more in AWS direct connect
AWS Vpn doesn’t use any cable as it depends on public and shared networks, whereas fiber optic cables used in AWS direct connect to connect with AWS services
Connection is not secure in AWS Vpn connect, whereas connection is much secure in AWS direct connect as compared to VPN
AWS Vpn connect is good for the businesses who are getting started with AWS, and AWS direct connect is good for the businesses that want a secure and a dedicated connection

AWS VPN Server

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is much useful if you want a safe and secure browsing environment. Getting a VPN can be tuff and there are many VPN service providers but they are free and no security guaranteed. But what if you get both free as well as secure? Yes, with the AWS VPN server that may provide free tier eligibility for 12 months, and after that, you can also use it with minimal charges for your business or individuals.

How to Setup AWS VPN Server?

Log into your AWS account or register a new one if you haven’t and go to the EC2 dashboard
On the top right, select the location where you want to set up your VPN & click the Launch Instance option
Select from the list with “free tier eligibility” i.e. Amazon Linux, Redhat, Windows, etc
Next is to choose a t2.micro instance which is also free tier eligible. And click Review &Launch
Click Edit Security Groups on the next page right-hand side
Under Edit Inbound Rules, click Add Rule button, then set the type to custom UDP, port range to 1194, and the source to anywhere. Click save
Then click Review and Launch, and launch
Create key pair and download (it will help you to connect to virtual server)
Click on Launch Instances and you can check on View Instances to see the one you created
Connect the EC2 instance using PuTTy

AWS VPN pricing

While creating an AWS site-to-site VPN connection, you will be charged for each VPN connection hour and also the VPN availability. It is billed as a full hour for each VPN connection hour used. There are also AWS data transfer charges for the amount of data transferred using a VPN connection. You can easily cancel the VPN connection using the AWS console or using the command-line interface.

$0.05 is the charge per hour using AWS site-to-site Vpn connection
Data transfer charges extra will be included on AWS site-to-site (499 GB at $0.09 per GB)

For AWS client VPN connection the pricing includes the total number of active client connections per hour and the subnets. The billing starts per hour after the subnets association is created and consumed.

AWS client VPN endpoint subnet association $0.15 per hour
AWS client VPN connection $0.05 per hour

AWS managed VPN

Amazon VPC helps to establish an IPsec VPN connection between the remote networks and Amazon VPC over the internet. AWS managed VPN Connection is established on the top of an AWS virtual private gateway to connect your local network with the AWS VPC.

The AWS-managed VPN solution can be used for connecting a single network. AWS managed VPN connection is charged per hour connection and varies, depending on the number of connections up and running. The price of VPN connection hours starts at $0.05.

Benefits of AWS Vpn

It uses the OpenVPN that provides secure connectivity
High availability and low-cost
Offers customizable VPN tunnel options
Secure browsing with private IP addresses
Amazon cloud watch for monitoring and visibility
Easily access the AWS infrastructures and services
Good for individuals, large businesses
Affordable as it charges per hour basis
No need to install any hardware or software for using
Fully managed VPN solution

Conclusion

The best VPN to choose depends on your requirements and what purpose you want it for, either for personal use or business use. Most of the VPN services may or may not offer all the features you need, while some are free or and some paid. And going for the right VPN really can be a paid one like AWS VPN if you give much importance to your online privacy.

AWS Vpn not only offers a secure private network for internet browsing but also allows you to access many of its features that can add value to your work. It is the most widely used VPN service and very much secure as well.