VPN Report: Architecture, Security, and Configuration

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), exploring their architectures, security protocols, and configuration. The report begins with an abstract defining VPNs and their functions, differentiating between hardware and software VPNs. It then delves into the OpenVPN protocol, highlighting its security, flexibility, and ease of installation, especially within Linux environments. The literature review examines various VPN types, including MPLS, IPsec, and SSL VPNs, detailing their architectures and operational methods. The report also covers VPN operation, techniques, and methods, discussing security protocols like IPSec and the use of digital certificates for authentication. Furthermore, it provides a step-by-step guide to configuring a VPN in Ubuntu and investigates security protocols such as IPSec and OpenVPN. The report also discusses the features and limitations of OpenVPN, including digital certificates, certificate authorities, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as key exchanges and authentication mechanisms within the IPSec protocol.