All posts tagged GitHub

Always On VPN DPC Open Source

Recently, I wrote about the demise of PowerON Platforms, the company behind the popular Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC) software that allows administrators to deploy and manage Always On VPN client configuration settings using Active Directory Group Policy or Microsoft Intune with custom ADMX/ADML. Initially, the future of DPC was uncertain. However, I’m happy to announce that DPC will continue to be developed.

DPC Open Source

The lead developer of DPC and my good friend Leo D’Arcy retained the source code for the product and has been working diligently to decommercialize the software. That work has been completed, and Always On VPN DPC is now available via open source. You can find the source code for DPC on GitHub here.

DPC Features

This initial open-source release (version 5.0.0) contains no significant new features or functionality. Most of the development efforts focused on removing references to PowerON Platforms (registry paths, binary names, etc.).

Support

Today, DPC support is community-based. You can report issues on the GitHub issues page for DPC. In addition, you can ask questions about DPC on Discord in the Microsoft Remote Access UG. Leo and I will monitor the group closely and answer any questions you might have there.

Deployment

If you’re not a DPC user today, I encourage you to have a look at its impressive feature set. Not only does DPC make Always On VPN deployment and management easier, but it also includes many advanced capabilities that will make connections more stable and reliable. Here are some links to articles outlining some of those advanced features.

Migration

If you already have a previous commercial release of Always On VPN DPC deployed, migrating to the new open-source DPC is straightforward. You will find guidance for migrating your existing DPC configuration here.

Contribute

Now that DPC is open source, we encourage everyone to contribute. If you have development skills, feel free to help. If you have feedback or feature requests, don’t hesitate to submit them!

Learn More

Are you interested in learning more about Always On VPN DPC? Would you like a personal demonstration of DPC’s features and capabilities? Do you need help migrating from a previous release to the new open-source software? Fill out the form below and I’ll contact you with more information.

Additional Information

Always On VPN DPC Open Source on GitHub

PowerON Platforms Are No More

4 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on December 2, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Active Directory, administration, Always On VPN, Always On VPN DPC, AOVPN, AovpnDPC, Deployment, Device Management, device tunnel, DPC, Dynamic Profile Configurator, Endpoint Manager, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, GitHub, Group Policy, InTune, MDM, MEM, MEMCM, Microsoft, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft Intune, Mobile Device Management, Mobility, Open Source, Operational Support, Remote Access, user tunnel, Windows 10, Windows 11
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on December 2, 2024

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2024/12/02/always-on-vpn-dpc-open-source/

PowerON Platforms are No More

If you’re a follower of this website, you are undoubtedly familiar with PowerON Platforms as I have promoted their products extensively over the years. Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC) is a clever solution that enables Always On VPN client configuration provisioning and management using Active Directory group policy. They recently introduced a cloud-based centralized reporting solution for organizations with multiple VPN servers. I worked closely with PowerON and influenced many of the features of these great technologies.

Out of Business

Sadly, I learned recently that PowerON Platforms has entered insolvency. Effective October 16, 2024, PowerON Platforms now cease to exist. If you are a current customer of theirs, you likely have received a notification email already.

The Future

Many of my customers have asked what will become of DPC and their cloud-based reporting solution. Here is some additional information.

DPC

Fortunately, DPC will live on through open source. My good friend and primary developer of DPC, Leo D’Arcy, is currently working on refactoring the software to meet open-source specifications. Although I don’t have a timeline for when the software will be available for download, I hope it will be soon.

You can follow the GitHub repository for the open-source DPC here.

If you have a current DPC license, the product should continue to work without issue. You can upgrade to the open-source version of DPC in the future if you choose to. You will likely encounter problems if you use DPC with a trial license. If this happens, contact me directly, and I’ll assist you.

Reporting

The PowerON Platforms Always On VPN reporting solution is dead and will not continue. If you were using this product, I would suggest deleting the resource group you created in Azure for this and the PowerBI application installed for it.

In addition, Always On VPN administrators should remove the reporting agent software from their VPN servers. You can do this on GUI installations using the Add or Remove Programs control panel app.

If you’ve installed the reporting agent on Server Core systems, you can remove it by running the following PowerShell command.

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object {$_.IdentifyingNumber -Match ‘{FFFC6424-82BB-49C5-9112-2C1436717C9C}’ } |  Invoke-WmiMethod -Name Uninstall

Support

With PowerON Platforms out of business, their products are no longer supported. However, if you have issues with DPC or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll provide as much support as I can.

Additional Information

Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC) Open Source on GitHub

1 Comment
by Richard M. Hicks on October 29, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Active Directory, Always On VPN, Always On VPN DPC, AOVPN, AovpnDPC, Deployment, Device Management, device tunnel, DPC, Dynamic Profile Configurator, end of life, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, GitHub, Group Policy, Infrastructure, Mobility, Open Source, PowerShell, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Server Core, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2025, XML
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on October 29, 2024

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2024/10/29/poweron-platforms-are-no-more/

Always On VPN and the PSPKI PowerShell Module

Certificates are a crucial part of a secure Always On VPN implementation. Certificates are phishing-resistant forms of authentication that, when configured correctly, provide robust and multifactor authentication for remote access users and devices.

AD CS

Most commonly, certificates are issued by an on-premises Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) server. Administrators configure and deploy a Certification Authority infrastructure to issue and manage user and device authentication certificates in their organization. CA certificates are also required on the VPN server to support Always On VPN device tunnel connections and IKEv2 user tunnel connections. The NPS server also requires an enterprise CA certificate. Of course, the CA can issue certificates for other purposes, including Wi-Fi authentication, document signing, and code signing, just to name a few.

PSPKI

PSPKI is a PowerShell module available in the PowerShell Gallery for configuring, managing, and troubleshooting Microsoft AD CS. Created by Vadims Podans of PKI Solutions, PSPKI includes over 100 functions for various AD CS and certificate-related tasks. Always On VPN administrators will find this PowerShell module helpful when configuring and troubleshooting certificate-related issues for their Always On VPN deployments.

Note: The AD CS remote server administration tools (RSAT) must be installed to access all of the PSPKI module’s functionality.

Installation

Run the following PowerShell command to install the PSPKI PowerShell module.

Install-Module -Name PSPKI

Always On VPN and PSPKI

Always On VPN Administrators will immediately find a few PSPKI functions helpful when implementing and supporting Always On VPN.

Test-WebServerSSL – This function will connect to a remote web server and display details about the TLS certificate included in the response. This can be especially helpful when troubleshooting SSTP VPN connections.

Convert-PfxToPem – This is a handy utility for converting a PFX file to the PEM format. This is commonly required when importing CA certificates on non-Microsoft platforms, security devices, and load balancers.

Convert-PemToPfx – Occasionally, administrators must convert a certificate and private key in PEM format to PFX to install on a Windows server. This tool allows administrators to perform this task easily.

Get-CertificationAuthority – This function quickly enumerates all enterprise CA servers and displays information about their hostname, accessibility, service status, and type.

Ping-ICertInterface – This function helps troubleshoot CA connectivity issues. Administrators can quickly determine if a CA is reachable and capable of issuing a certificate using this command.

Get-CaTemplate – This command displays a list of certificate templates published on the specified target CA server. The certificate template’s display name and the minimum support CA version are provided. In addition, the output indicates if certificate autoenrollment is enabled on the template.

Much More

The PSPKI PowerShell module for AD CS has many tools for configuring and managing AD CS. PSPKI recently received a major update to version 4.0. Download and install PSPKI today. It will make your life easier, I can assure you!

Additional Information

PSPKI PowerShell Module – PowerShell Gallery

PSPKI PowerShell Module – GitHub

AOVPNTools PowerShell Module – PowerShell Gallery

AOVPNTools PowerShell Module – GitHub

InboxAccountingDatabaseManagement PowerShell Module

InboxAccontingDatabaseManagement – PowerShell Gallery

InboxAccountingDatabaseManagement – GitHub

4 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on June 20, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Active Directory, administration, Always On VPN, AOVPN, authentication, certificates, Deployment, Encryption, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, GitHub, IKEv2, Infrastructure, Microsoft, Mobility, Multifactor Authentiction, NPS, Operational Support, PEAP, PKI, PowerShell, Protected EAP, public key infrastructure, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, Security, SSL, SSL and TLS, SSTP, systems management, TLS, Transport Layer Security, troubleshooting, Update, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 20, 2023

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2023/06/20/always-on-vpn-and-the-pspki-powershell-module/

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