All posts by Richard M. Hicks

Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing Issue with Kemp LoadMaster

Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing Issue with Kemp LoadMasterA recent update to the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer may cause failed connections for Always On VPN connections using IKEv2. SSTP VPN connections are unaffected.

Load Balancing IKEv2

When using the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer to load balance IKEv2, custom configuration is required to ensure proper operation. Specifically, the virtual service must be configured to use “port following” to ensure both the initial request on UDP port 500 and the subsequent request on UDP port 4500 are sent to the same real server. This requires the virtual service to be configured to operate at layer 7. Detailed configuration guidance for load balancing IKEv2 on the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer can be found here.

Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing Issue with Kemp LoadMaster

Issues with LMOS 7.2.48.0

A recent release of the Load Master Operating System (LMOS) v7.2.48.0 introduced a bug that affects UDP services configured to operate at layer 7, which includes IKEv2. This bug breaks Always On VPN connections using IKEv2, resulting in failed connections. When this occurs, the administrator may encounter an error 809 message for device tunnel or user tunnel.

Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing Issue with Kemp LoadMaster

Update Available

Administrators who use the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer to load balance Always On VPN IKEv2 connections and have updated to LMOS 7.2.48.0 are encouraged to update to LMOS 7.2.48.1 immediately. This latest update includes a fix that resolves broken IKEv2 load balancing for Always On VPN. Once the LoadMaster has been updated to 7.2.48.1, Always On VPN connections using IKEv2 should complete successfully.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancer

Windows 10 Always On VPN SSTP Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancer

Windows 10 Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster in Azure

Windows 10 Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Kemp Load Balancers

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by Richard M. Hicks on November 18, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in ADC, Always On VPN, AOVPN, application delivery controller, device tunnel, enterprise mobility, High Availability, Hotfix, IKEv2, Kemp, Load Balancing, LoadMaster, Mobility, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, troubleshooting, Update, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on November 18, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/11/18/always-on-vpn-ikev2-load-balancing-issue-with-kemp-loadmaster/

Microsoft Intune NDES Connector Setup Wizard Ended Prematurely

Microsoft Intune NDES Connector Setup Wizard Ended PrematurelyA Windows Server with the Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) role can be provisioned on-premises to support certificate deployment for non-domain Windows 10 Always On VPN clients. In addition, the Microsoft Intune Connector must be installed and configured on the NDES server to allow Intune-managed clients to request and receive certificates from the on-premises Certification Authority (CA) server.

Setup Wizard Ended Prematurely

When installing the Microsoft Intune Connector, the administrator may encounter a scenario where the setup wizard fails with the following error message.

“Microsoft Intune Connector Setup Wizard ended prematurely because of an error. Your system has not been modified. To install this program at a later time, run Setup Wizard again. Click the Finish button to exit the Setup Wizard.”

Microsoft Intune NDES Connector Setup Wizard Ended Prematurely

Cryptographic Service Provider

This error can occur if the NDES server certificate template is configured to use the Key Storage Provider cryptography service provider (CSP). When configuring the certificate template for the NDES server, the Legacy Cryptography Service Provider must be used, as shown here.

Microsoft Intune NDES Connector Setup Wizard Ended Prematurely

Additional Information

Deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN with Intune using Custom ProfileXML

Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using Microsoft Intune

Deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN with Microsoft Intune

 

5 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on November 11, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, authentication, Azure, certificates, cloud, Encryption, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, InTune, Microsoft Intune, Mobility, NDES, Network Device Enrollment Service, Network Device Enrollment Services, PKI, public cloud, public key infrastructure, Remote Access, Security, systems management, troubleshooting, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on November 11, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/11/11/microsoft-intune-ndes-connector-setup-wizard-ended-prematurely/

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in AzureIn a recent post I discussed options for load balancing Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) in Microsoft Azure for Always On VPN. There are many choices available to the administrator, however the best alternative is to use a dedicated Application Delivery Controller (ADC), or load balancer. The Kemp LoadMaster load balancer is an excellent choice here, as it is easy to configure and deploy. It is also very cost effective and offers flexible licensing plans, including a metered licensing option.

Deploy LoadMaster in Azure

To provision a Kemp LoadMaster load balancer in Microsoft Azure, open the Azure management console and perform the following steps.

1. Click Create Resource.
2. Enter LoadMaster in the search field.
3. Click on LoadMaster Load Balancer ADC Content Switch.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

4. Choose an appropriate license model from the Select a software plan drop-down list.
5. Click Create.

Prepare Azure Instance

Follow the steps below to provision the Azure VM hosting the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer.

1. Choose an Azure subscription to and resource group to deploy the resources to.
2. Provide instance details such as virtual machine name, region, availability options, and image size.
3. Select an authentication type and upload the SSH private key or provide a username and password.
4. Click Next:Disks >.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

5. Select an OS disk type.
6. Click Next: Networking >.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

7. Select a virtual network and subnet for the load balancer.
8. Create or assign a public IP address.
9. Click Review + create.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

LoadMaster Configuration

Once the virtual machine has been provisioned, open a web browser and navigate to the VM’s internal IP address on port 8443 to accept the licensing terms.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

Next, log in with your Kemp ID and password to finish licensing the appliance.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

Finally, log in to the appliance using the username ‘bal’ and the password provided when the virtual machine was configured.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

Azure Network Security Group

A Network Security Group (NSG) is automatically configured and associated with the LoadMaster’s network interface when the appliance is created. Additional inbound security rules must be added to allow VPN client connectivity.

In the Azure management console open the properties for the LoadMaster NSG and follow the steps below to configure security rules to allow inbound VPN protocols.

SSTP

1. Click Inbound security rules.
2. Click Add.
3. Choose Any from the Source drop-down list.
4. Enter * in the Source port ranges field.
5. Select Any from the Destination drop-down list.
6. Enter 443 in the Destination port ranges field.
7. Select the TCP protocol.
8. Select the Allow action.
9. Enter a value in the Priority field.
10. Enter a name for the service in the Name field.
11. Click Add.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

IKEv2

1. Click Inbound security rules.
2. Click Add.
3. Choose Any from the Source drop-down list.
4. Enter * in the Source port ranges field.
5. Select Any from the Destination drop-down list.
6. Enter 500 in the Destination port ranges field.
7. Select the UDP protocol.
8. Select the Allow action.
9. Enter a value in the Priority field.
10. Enter a name for the service in the Name field.
11. Click Add.
12. Repeat the steps below for UDP port 4500.

Always On VPN Load Balancing with Kemp in Azure

Load Balancing SSTP and IKEv2

Refer to the following posts for detailed, prescriptive guidance for configuring the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer for Always On VPN load balancing.

Always On VPN SSTP Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster

Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing with the Kemp LoadMaster

Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for the Kemp LoadMaster

Summary

Although Windows Server RRAS is not a formally supported workload in Azure, it is still a popular and effective solution for Always On VPN deployments. The Kemp LoadMaster load balancer can be deployed quickly and easily to provide redundancy and increase scalability for larger deployments.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN SSTP Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancers

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancers

Windows 10 Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancers

Deploying the Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancer in Microsoft Azure

1 Comment
by Richard M. Hicks on November 4, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in ADC, Always On VPN, AOVPN, application delivery controller, Azure, Azure VPN, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, High Availability, IKEv2, Kemp, Load Balancing, LoadMaster, Mobility, public cloud, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, SSTP, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on November 4, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/11/04/always-on-vpn-load-balancing-with-kemp-in-azure/

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

When configuring an Always On VPN connection, the administrator may encounter a scenario in which a VPN connection fails using either Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) or Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP). On the Windows 10 client the error message states the following.

“Can’t connect to [connection name]. The remote access connection completed, but authentication failed because a certificate that validates the server certificate was not found in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities certificate store.”

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

In addition, the Application event log records an error message with Event ID 20227 from the RasClient source. The error message states the following.

“The user [username] dialed a connection name [connection name] which has failed. The error code returned on failure is 864.”

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

NPS Server Certificate

Error code 864 is commonly caused by a missing or invalid server certificate on the Network Policy Server (NPS) performing authentication for VPN clients. The NPS server must have a certificate installed in its local computer certificate store from a trusted certification authority (CA) that includes the following.

Subject Name

The subject name must match the hostname defined in the EAP configuration for VPN clients. This may be the NPS server’s hostname but could also be an alias when NPS load balancing is configured.

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

Enhanced Key Usage

The NPS server certificate must include the Server Authentication Enhanced Key Usage (EKU).

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

NPS Policy Configuration

The NPS server certificate must also be selected in the network policy used for VPN client authentication. To confirm correct certificate configuration, open the properties for the Always On VPN network policy and follow the steps below.

1. Select the Constraints tab.
2. Highlight Authentication Methods.
3. Highlight Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP) in the EAP Types field.
4. Click Edit.
5. Select the NPS server certificate from the Certificate issued to drop-down list.

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

Ensure the NPS server certificate is also used for client certificate authentication by performing the following steps.

1. Highlight Smart Card or other certificate.
2. Click Edit.
3. Select the NPS server certificate from the Certificate issued to drop-down list.
4. Click Ok.

Troubleshooting Always On VPN Error Code 864

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Network Policy Server (NPS) Load Balancing

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by Richard M. Hicks on October 31, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, certificates, enterprise mobility, IKEv2, Mobility, network policy server, public key infrastructure, Remote Access, Security, troubleshooting, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on October 31, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/10/31/troubleshooting-always-on-vpn-error-code-864/

Always On VPN Load Balancing for RRAS in Azure

Always On VPN Load Balancing for RRAS in AzurePreviously I wrote about Always On VPN options for Microsoft Azure deployments. In that post I indicated that running Windows Server with the Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) role for VPN was an option to be considered, even though it is not a formally supported workload. Despite the lack of support by Microsoft, deploying RRAS in Azure works well and is quite popular. In fact, I recently published some configuration guidance for RRAS in Azure.

Load Balancing Options for RRAS

Multiple RRAS servers can be deployed in Azure to provide failover/redundancy or to increase capacity. While Windows Network Load Balancing (NLB) can be used on-premises for RRAS load balancing, NLB is not supported and doesn’t work in Azure. With that, there are several options for load balancing RRAS in Azure. They include DNS round robin, Azure Traffic Manager, the native Azure load balancer, Azure Application Gateway, or a dedicated load balancing virtual appliance.

DNS Round Robin

The easiest way to provide load balancing for RRAS in Azure is to use round robin DNS. However, using this method has some serious limitations. Simple DNS round robin can lead to connection attempts to a server that is offline. In addition, this method doesn’t accurately balance the load and often results in uneven distribution of client connections.

Azure Traffic Manager

Using Azure Traffic Manager is another alternative for load balancing RRAS in Azure. In this scenario each VPN server will have its own public IP address and FQDN for which Azure Traffic Manager will intelligently distribute traffic. Details on configuring Azure Traffic Manager for Always On VPN can be found here.

Azure Load Balancer

The native Azure load balancer can be configured to provide load balancing for RRAS in Azure. However, it has some serious limitations. Consider the following.

  • Supports Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) only.
  • Basic health check functionality (port probe only).
  • Limited visibility.
  • Does not work with IKEv2.
  • Does not support TLS offload for SSTP.

More information about the Azure Load Balancer can be found here.

Azure Application Gateway

The Azure Application Gateway can be used for load balancing RRAS SSTP VPN connections where advanced capabilities such as enhanced health checks and TLS offload are required. More information about the Azure Application Gateway can be found here.

Load Balancing Appliance

Using a dedicated Application Delivery Controller (ADC), or load balancer is a very effective way to eliminate single points of failure for Always On VPN deployments hosted in Azure. ADCs provide many advanced features and capabilities to ensure full support for all RRAS VPN protocols. In addition, ADCs offer much better visibility and granular control over VPN connections. There are many solutions available as virtual appliances in the Azure marketplace that can be deployed to provide RRAS load balancing in Azure.

Summary

Deploying Windows Server RRAS in Azure for Always On VPN can be a cost-effective solution for many organizations. Although not a formally supported workload, I’ve deployed it numerous times and it works quite well. Consider using a dedicated ADC to increase scalability or provide failover and redundancy for RRAS in Azure whenever possible.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Options for Azure Deployments

Windows 10 Always On VPN and RRAS in Microsoft Azure

Windows 10 Always On VPN with Microsoft Azure Gateway

3 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on October 28, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, application delivery controller, Azure, Azure Application Gateway, Azure Load Balancer, Azure Traffic Manager, Azure VPN, Azure VPN Gateway, cloud, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, High Availability, Load Balancing, Mobility, public cloud, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, SSL, SSL and TLS, TLS, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on October 28, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/10/28/always-on-vpn-load-balancing-for-rras-in-azure/

Always On VPN and RRAS in Azure

Always On VPN and RRAS in AzureWhen deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN, it may be desirable to host the VPN server in Microsoft’s Azure public cloud. Recently I wrote about Always On VPN deployment options in Azure, and in that post I indicated that deploying Windows Server and the Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) was one of those options. Although not formally supported by Microsoft, RRAS is often deployed in Azure because it is cost-effective, easy to manage, and provides flexible scalability.

Supportability

It’s important to state once again that although it is possible to successfully deploy Windows Server with RRAS in Azure to support Always On VPN, as of this writing it is not a formally supported workload. If the administrator makes the decision to deploy RRAS in Azure, they must also accept that Microsoft may refuse to assist with troubleshooting in this specific deployment scenario.

Always On VPN and RRAS in Azure

Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2721672/microsoft-server-software-support-for-microsoft-azure-virtual-machines

Azure Prerequisites

The configuration of RRAS is identical to on-premises, with a few additional steps required by Azure infrastructure.

Windows Server

RRAS can be configured on any Windows Server virtual machine supported in Microsoft Azure. As with on-premises deployments, Server GUI and Core are supported. Domain-join is optional. The server can be deployed with one network interface or two.

Public IP

A public IP address must be assigned to the VPN server’s external network interface, or the internal interface if the VPN server is configured with a single network adapter. The IP address can be static or dynamic. When using a dynamic IP address, configure a CNAME record in DNS that points to the name configured for the IP address in Azure. If using a static IP address, an A host record can be configured pointing directly to the IP address.

Network Security Group

A Network Security Group (NSG) must be configured and assigned to the VPN server’s external or public-facing network interface that allows the following protocols and ports inbound.

  • TCP port 443 (SSTP)
  • UDP port 500 (IKEv2)
  • UDP port 4500 (IKEv2 NAT traversal)

RRAS in Azure

Below are the infrastructure requirements for supporting Windows Server RRAS VPN in Azure.

Client IP Subnet

Static IP address pool assignment must be used with RRAS. Using DHCP for VPN client IP address assignment in Azure is not supported and will not work. The IP subnet assigned to VPN clients by RRAS must be unique and not overlap with any existing Azure VNet subnets. If more than one VPN server is deployed, each server should be configured to assign a unique subnet for its clients.

IP Forwarding

IP forwarding must be enabled on the VPN server’s internal network interface. Follow the steps below to enable IP forwarding.

1. In the Azure portal, open the properties page for the internal network interface for the VPN server.
2. Click IP configurations in the navigation pane.
3. Click Enabled next to IP forwarding.
4. Click Save.

Always On VPN and RRAS in Azure

Routing

Azure must be configured to route IP traffic from VPN clients back to the VPN server. Follow the steps below to create and assign a routing table in Azure.

1. Click Create Resource.
2. Enter “Route Table” in the search field and press Enter.
3. Click Route Table.
4. Click Create.
5. Enter a descriptive name for the route table in the Name field.
6. Choose an appropriate subscription from the Subscription drop-down list.
7. Select the resource group where the VPN server(s) reside.
8. Select the best location to deploy the route table resource from the Location drop-down list.
9. If the administrator wants to have the VPN client IP subnet route information published automatically, select Enabled for Virtual network gateway route propagation.
10. Click Create.

Always On VPN and RRAS in Azure

Once complete, follow the steps below to define the route for VPN clients.

1. Open the properties page for the route table.
2. Click Routes in the navigation pane.
3. Click Add.
4. Enter a descriptive name in the Route name filed.
5. Enter the IP subnet assigned to VPN clients in the Address prefix field.
6. Select Virtual appliance from the Next hop type drop-down list.
7. Enter the IPv4 address assigned to the VPN server’s internal network interface in the Next hop address field.
8. Click Ok.
9. Repeat the steps above for each VPN server configured in Azure.

Always On VPN and RRAS in Azure

Finally, follow the steps below to assign the route table to an Azure VNet subnet.

1. Open the properties page for the route table.
2. Click Subnets in the navigation pane.
3. Click Associate.
4. Click Virtual network.
5. Choose the appropriate Azure VNet.
6. Click Subnet.
7. Choose an Azure VNet subnet to assign the route table to.
8. Click Ok.
9. Repeat the steps above to assign the route table to any Azure VNet subnet that must be accessible by VPN clients. If VPN clients need access to on-premises resources via Azure site-to-site gateway, assign the route table to the Azure VPN gateway subnet.

Always On VPN and RRAS in Azure

Note: Azure only supports the assignment of one route table per subnet. If a route table is currently assigned, the VPN client subnet route can be added to an existing route table, if necessary.

Summary

Administrators have many choices when it comes to support Always On VPN connections hosted in Azure. RRAS on Windows Server can be an effective solution, assuming you can live without formal support. If having a formally supported solution is a hard requirement, consider deploying Always On VPN using the native Azure VPN gateway or another third-part Network Virtual Appliance (NVA).

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

Windows 10 Always On VPN Options for Azure Deployments

Windows 10 Always On VPN Multisite with Azure Traffic Manager

4 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on September 9, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Azure, Azure VPN, Azure VPN Gateway, cloud, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, Mobility, public cloud, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 9, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/09/09/always-on-vpn-and-rras-in-azure/

Always On VPN IKEv2 Policy Mismatch Error

Always On VPN IKEv2 Policy Mismatch ErrorThe Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) VPN protocol is the protocol of choice for Windows 10 Always On VPN deployments where the highest levels of security and assurance are required. However, as I’ve written about in the past, often the default IKEv2 security settings are less than desirable. Before using IKEv2 VPN in a production environment the administrator will need to update these security settings accordingly.

Connection Failure

When configuring Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) or a third-party VPN appliance to support IKEv2 using custom security policies, the administrator may encounter a scenario in which a connection cannot be established due to a policy mismatch error. When the connection attempt fails, an error will be recorded in the Windows Application event log from the RasClient source with Event ID 20227. The error message states the following:

“The user [username] dialed a connection named [connection name] which has failed. The error code returned on failure is 13868.”

Always On VPN IKEv2 Policy Mismatch Error

Error Code 13868

Error code 13868 translates to ERROR_IPSEC_IKE_POLICY_MATCH. Essentially this error indicates that the IKEv2 security policy on the client did not match the configuration on the server.

Server Configuration

To view the current IKEv2 IPsec policy configuration, open an elevated PowerShell command window and run the following command.

Get-VpnServerIPsecConfiguration

Always On VPN IKEv2 Policy Mismatch Error

Client Configuration

To ensure interoperability, the VPN client must be configured to use the same IKEv2 security policy as defined on the sever. To view a VPN client’s currently configured IKEv2 security policy, open an elevated PowerShell command window and run the following command.

Get-VpnConnection -Name [connection name] | Select-Object -ExpandProperty IPsecCustomPolicy

Always On VPN IKEv2 Policy Mismatch Error

Note: If this PowerShell command returns no output, the VPN connection is not using a custom IKEv2 IPsec security policy.

Updating Settings

Guidance for configuring IKEv2 security policies on Windows Server RRAS and Windows 10 can be found here.

Summary

IKEv2 policy mismatch errors can be resolved easily by ensuring both the VPN server and client are configured to use the same IPsec security policies. Use the PowerShell commands in the above referenced above to validate settings and make changes when necessary.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Configuration

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Features and Limitations

Show-VpnConnectionIPsecConfiguration PowerShell script on Github

Set-IKEv2SecurityBaseline PowerShell script on Github

6 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on September 2, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, device tunnel, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, GitHub, IKEv2, Mobility, PowerShell, ProfileXML, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 2, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/09/02/always-on-vpn-ikev2-policy-mismatch-error/

Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

Always On VPN with Azure GatewayRecently I wrote about VPN server deployment options for Windows 10 Always On VPN in Azure. In that post I indicated the native Azure VPN gateway could be used to support Always On VPN connections using Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) and Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP). In this post I’ll outline the requirements and configuration steps for implementing this solution.

Requirements

To support Always On VPN, point-to-site VPN connections must be enabled on the Azure VPN gateway. Not all Azure VPN gateways are alike, and point-to-site connections are not supported in all scenarios. For Always On VPN, the Azure VPN gateway must meet the following requirements.

VPN SKU

The Azure VPN gateway SKU must be VpnGw1, VpnGw2, VpnGw3, VpnGw1AZ, VpnGw2AZ, or VpnGw3AZ. The Basic SKU is not supported.

VPN Type

The VPN type must be route-based. Policy-based VPN gateways are not supported for point-to-site VPN connections.

Limitations

Using the Azure VPN gateway for Always On VPN may not be ideal in all scenarios. The following limitations should be considered thoroughly before choosing the Azure VPN gateway for Always On VPN.

Device Tunnel

RADIUS/EAP authentication for user tunnel connections is not supported if the Azure VPN gateway is configured to support device tunnel with machine certificate authentication.

Maximum Connections

A maximum of 250, 500, and 1000 concurrent IKEv2 connections are supported when using the VpnGw1/AZ, VpnGw2/AZ, and VpnGw3/AZ SKUs, respectively (x2 for active/active gateway deployments). In addition, a maximum of 128 concurrent SSTP connections are supported for all VPN gateway SKUs (x2 for active/active gateway deployments).

Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-about-vpngateways#gwsku

RADIUS Requirements

To support Always On VPN connections, the Azure VPN gateway must be configured to authenticate to a RADIUS server. The RADIUS server must be reachable from the VPN gateway subnet. The RADIUS server can be hosted in Azure or on-premises. Before proceeding, ensure that any network routes, firewall rules, and site-to-site VPN tunnel configuration is in place to allow this communication.

RADIUS Configuration

Guidance for configuring Windows Server NPS for Always On VPN can be found here. The only difference when configuring NPS for use with Azure VPN gateway is the RADIUS client configuration.

Open the NPS management console (nps.msc) and follow the steps below to configure Windows Server NPS to support Always On VPN client connections from the Azure VPN gateway.

1. Expand RADIUS Clients and Servers.
2. Right-click RADIUS Clients and choose New.
3. Enter a descriptive name in the Friendly name field.
4. Enter the Azure VPN gateway subnet using CIDR notation in the Address (IP or DNS) field. The gateway subnet can be found by viewing the properties of the Azure VPN gateway in the Azure portal.
5. Enter the shared secret to be used for RADIUS communication in the Shared secret field.

Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

Azure VPN Gateway Configuration

To begin, provision a Virtual Network Gateway in Azure that meets the requirements outlined above. Guidance for implementing an Azure VPN gateway can be found here. Once complete, follow the steps below to enable support for Always On VPN client connections.

Enable Point-to-Site

Perform the following steps to enable point-to-site VPN connectivity.

1. In the navigation pane of the Azure VPN gateway settings click Point-to-site configuration.
2. Click Configure Now and specify an IPv4 address pool to be assigned to VPN clients. This IP address pool must be unique in the organization and must not overlap with any IP address ranges defined in the Azure virtual network.
3. From the Tunnel type drop-down list select IKEv2 and SSTP (SSL).
4. In the RADIUS authentication field enter the IPv4 address of the RADIUS server. At the time of this writing only a single IPv4 address is supported. If RADIUS redundancy is required, consider creating a load balanced NPS cluster.
5. In the Server secret field enter the RADIUS shared secret.
6. Click Save to save the configuration.

Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

VPN Client Configuration

Perform the following steps to configure a Windows 10 VPN client to connect to the Azure VPN gateway.

Download VPN Configuration

1. Click Point-to-site configuration.
2. Click Download VPN client.
3. Select EAPMSCHAv2 (yes, that’s correct even if EAP-TLS will be used!)
4. Click Download.
5. Open the downloaded zip file and extract the VpnSettings.XML file from the Generic folder.
6. Copy the FQDN in the VpnServer element in VpnSettings.XML. This is the FQDN that will be used in the template VPN connection and later in ProfileXML.

Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

Create a Test VPN Connection

On a Windows 10 device create a test VPN profile using the VPN server address copied previously. Configure EAP settings to match those configured on the NPS server and test connectivity.

Create an Always On VPN Connection

Once the VPN has been validated using the test profile created previously, the VPN server and EAP configuration from the test profile can be used to create the Always On VPN profile for publishing using Intune, SCCM, or PowerShell.

IKEv2 Security Configuration

The default IKEv2 security parameters used by the Azure VPN gateway are better than Windows Server, but the administrator will notice that a weak DH key (1024 bit) is used in phase 1 negotiation.

Always On VPN with Azure Gateway

Use the following PowerShell commands to update the default IKEv2 security parameters to recommended baseline defaults, including 2048-bit keys (DH group 14) and AES-128 for improved performance.

Connect-AzAccount
Select-AzSubscription -SubscriptionName [Azure Subscription Name]

$Gateway = [Gateway Name]
$ResourceGroup = [Resource Group Name]

$IPsecPolicy = New-AzVpnClientIpsecParameter -IpsecEncryption AES128 -IpsecIntegrity SHA256 -SALifeTime 28800 -SADataSize 102400000 -IkeEncryption AES128 -IkeIntegrity SHA256 -DhGroup DHGroup14 -PfsGroup PFS14

Set-AzVpnClientIpsecParameter -VirtualNetworkGatewayName $Gateway -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroup -VpnClientIPsecParameter $IPsecPolicy

Note: Be sure to update the cryptography settings on the test VPN connection and in ProfileXML for Always On VPN connections to match the new VPN gateway settings. Failing to do so will result in an IPsec policy mismatch error.

Additional Information

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway Overview

About Microsoft Azure Point-to-Site VPN

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Configuration

 

 

 

10 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on August 26, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Azure, Azure VPN, Azure VPN Gateway, cloud, device tunnel, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, IKEv2, InTune, Microsoft Intune, Mobility, network policy server, NPS, PowerShell, ProfileXML, Remote Access, Security, SSL, SSL and TLS, SSTP, TLS, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, XML
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on August 26, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/08/26/always-on-vpn-with-azure-gateway/

Always On VPN and RRAS with Single NIC

Always On VPN and RRAS with Single NICI’m commonly asked “can Windows Server with Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) be configured with a single network interface?” This is likely because the official Microsoft documentation references only a multihomed dual NIC configuration, leading many to believe it is a strict requirement.

Single NIC

Deploying Windows Server RRAS with a single network interface is indeed supported and works without issue. There are no functional limitations imposed by using a single network interface. All features are fully supported in this scenario. The choice to use one or two network interfaces is purely a design choice, driven by several factors such as current network configuration and security requirements.

Dual NIC

Although a single NIC configuration is fully supported, there are some important advantages associated with mulithome dual NIC deployments. The following should be considered when deciding between single NIC and dual NIC VPN configurations.

Traffic Segmentation

Having separate internal and external network connections provides logical and physical separation of trusted and untrusted network traffic. Terminating connections from Always On VPN clients on the Internet in an isolated perimeter or DMZ network yields positive security benefits.

Firewall Configuration

Using two network interfaces allows for a more restrictive Windows Firewall policy to be applied to the external interface. This reduces the exposure of running services on the RRAS server to untrusted networks. This is especially critical if the VPN server is Windows Server RRAS and it is joined to a domain.

Network Performance

For very busy RRAS servers, having two network interfaces can improve network performance. With two network interfaces, network traffic is distributed between two network adapters, reducing utilization on each interface.

Dual NIC Best Practices

When deploying an RRAS server with dual NICs, the following recommendations for network interface configuration should be followed.

IP Addressing

Each network interface must be assigned an IP address from a unique subnet. Having both NICs on the same subnet is not supported.

Default Gateway

The default gateway should be configured on the external facing network interface only. The internal interface should not be configured with a gateway. Rather, static routes to any remote internal networks should be configured.

To add a static route on a Windows Server, open an elevated PowerShell command window and run the following command.

New-NetRoute -AddressFamily IPv4 -DestinationPrefix 10.0.0.0/8 -InterfaceAlias ‘Internal’ -NextHop 172.21.12.254

DNS

For domain-joined RRAS servers, corporate DNS servers should be configured on the Internal network interface only. No DNS servers should be configured on the external interface. If the server is not joined to a domain, DNS servers can be configured on whichever interface has connectivity to the defined DNS servers.

NAT

When the RRAS server is behind a device performing Network Address Translation (NAT), the NAT should be configured to translate only the destination address (DNAT). This allows the VPN server (or load balancer for multiserver deployments) to see the client’s original source IP address, which ensures efficient traffic distribution and meaningful log data.

Client, Service, and Protocol Bindings

All unnecessary clients, services, and protocols should be unbound from the external network interface. It is recommended that only the IPv4 and IPv6 protocols be enabled on the external interface, as shown here. Again, this reduces exposure for the server to the untrusted external network.

Always On VPN and RRAS with Single NIC

Summary

The dual NIC, multihomed configuration is generally recommended for most deployments as it offers security and performance advantages over the single NIC configuration. For organizations with less demanding security requirements, a single NIC deployment can be deployed safely without compromising functionality or supportability. In addition, a single NIC deployment may be the best option when multiple networks aren’t readily available.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN and Windows Server Routing and Remote Access (RRAS)

Windows 10 Always On VPN Protocol Recommendations for Windows Server RRAS

Windows 10 Always On VPN Options for Azure Deployments

Windows 10 Always On VPN Hands On Training

5 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on August 19, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, Mobility, PowerShell, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on August 19, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/08/19/always-on-vpn-and-rras-with-single-nic/

Always On VPN DNS Registration Update Available

Always On VPN DNS Registration Update AvailableWhen configuring Always On VPN, administrators have the option to enable DNS registration for VPN clients. When this option is set, VPN clients will register the IP address assigned to their VPN interface in the internal DNS. This allows client devices to be managed using their hostname from the internal network whenever they are connected remotely.

DNS Registration

DNS registration is enabled in one of two ways, depending on how Always On VPN client devices are managed.

Intune

When using the native Microsoft Intune UI to manage Always On VPN profiles, DNS registration can be configured by selecting Enabled next to Register IP addresses with internal DNS in the Base VPN settings section.

Always On VPN DNS Registration Update Available

ProfileXML

When using custom ProfileXML with PowerShell, SCCM, or Intune, the administrator will define the RegisterDNS element to enable DNS registration.

Always On VPN DNS Registration Update Available

Known Issues

Some users have reported unexpected behavior when DNS registration is enabled. Specifically, under some circumstances the VPN client will register the IP address of the VPN network interface along with the IP address of its public network interface (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.). However, the VPN client can only be managed using the VPN interface. If the VPN client’s hostname resolves to its public IP address, manage out will fail.

This appears to happen only when Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT) rules are defined in Intune DNS settings, or if the DomainNameInformation element is defined in ProfileXML.

Always On VPN DNS Registration Update AvailableAlways On VPN DNS Registration Update Available

Resolution

Microsoft recently released fixes for this DNS registration issue for Windows 10. The fix for this issue is included in the following updates.

Windows 10 1803 – KB4507466
Windows 10 1809 – KB4505658
Windows 10 1903 – KB4505903

Additional Configuration

After installing the update, the following registry entry must be defined on each VPN client.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dnscache\Parameters\DisableNRPTForAdapterRegistration DWORD = 1

To enable this setting, open an elevated PowerShell window and run the following command.

New-ItemProperty -Path ‘HKLM:SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dnscache\Parameters\’ -Name DisableNRPTForAdapterRegistration -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

Once complete, restart the client device for the changes to take effect. After validation testing is complete, the registry entry can be deployed to Always On VPN clients using Active Directory group policy preferences or Intune.

Additional Information

Deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN with Intune using Custom ProfileXML

Windows 10 Always On VPN Updates to Improve Connection Reliability

Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using Microsoft Intune

Windows 10 Always On VPN Hands-On Training Classes

16 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on August 5, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Device Management, device tunnel, DNS, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, InTune, Manage Out, Microsoft Intune, Mobility, name resolution policy table, NRPT, PowerShell, ProfileXML, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, systems management, Update, VPN, Windows 10
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on August 5, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/08/05/always-on-vpn-dns-registration-update-available/

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