Set Up OpenConnect VPN Server (ocserv) on CentOS 8/RHEL 8 with Let’s Encrypt

This tutorial is going to show you how to run your own VPN server by installing OpenConnect VPN server on CentOS 8/RHEL 8. OpenConnect VPN server, aka ocserv, is an open-source implementation of the Cisco AnyConnnect VPN protocol, which is widely-used in businesses and universities. AnyConnect is a SSL-based VPN protocol that allows individual users to connect to a remote network.

Why Set Up Your Own VPN Server?

• Maybe you are a VPN service provider or a system administator, which behooves you to set up your own VPN server.
• You don’t trust the no logging policy of VPN service providers, so you go the self-host route.
• You can use VPN to implement network security policy. For example, if you run your own email server, you can require users to login only from the IP address of the VPN server by creating an IP address whitelist in the firewall. Thus, your email server is hardened to prevent hacking activities.
• Perhaps you are just curious to know how VPN server works.

Features of OpenConnect VPN server

• Lightweight and fast. In my test, I can watch YouTube 4K videos with OpenConnect VPN. YouTube is blocked in my country (China).
• Runs on Linux and most BSD servers.
• Compatible with Cisco AnyConnect client
• There are OpenConnect client software for Linux, MacOS, Windows and OpenWRT. For Android and iOS, you can use the Cisco AnyConnect Client.

Read full tutorial here: https://www.linuxbabe.com/redhat/openconnect-vpn-server-ocserv-centos-8