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87 changes: 87 additions & 0 deletions reference-architectures/deploy-arch-ibm-slz-vpn.md
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---
copyright:
years: 2025
lastupdated: "2025-03-05"

keywords:

subcollection: deployable-reference-architectures

authors:
- name: "Andrej Kocbek"

# The release that the reference architecture describes
version: 2.1.3

# Whether the reference architecture is published to Cloud Docs production.
# When set to false, the file is available only in staging. Default is false.
production: false

# Use if the reference architecture has deployable code.
# Value is the URL to land the user in the IBM Cloud catalog details page
# for the deployable architecture.
# See https://test.cloud.ibm.com/docs/get-coding?topic=get-coding-deploy-button
deployment-url: https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog/7a4d68b4-cf8b-40cd-a3d1-f49aff526eb3/architecture/deploy-arch-ibm-client-to-site-vpn-1b824983-263f-4191-bfcd-c1d1b2220aa3-global

docs: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/secure-infrastructure-vpc?topic=secure-infrastructure-vpc-connect-landingzone-client-vpn

image_source: https://github.com/terraform-ibm-modules/terraform-ibm-client-to-site-vpn/blob/main/reference-architectures/c2s-basic.drawio.svg
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diagram is inside VPN repo under reference-architectures. Will automation will be able to pick it up? https://github.com/terraform-ibm-modules/terraform-ibm-client-to-site-vpn/blob/main/reference-architectures/c2s-basic.drawio.svg


related_links:
- title: "VPC landing zone - Standard variation"
url: "https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/deployable-reference-architectures?topic=deployable-reference-architectures-vsi-ra"
description: "A deployable architecture that is based on the IBM Cloud for Financial Services Framework reference and that provides virtual servers in a secure VPC for your workloads."

use-case: Cybersecurity
industry: Banking,FinancialSector
compliance: FedRAMP

content-type: reference-architecture

---

{{site.data.keyword.attribute-definition-list}}

# Cloud automation for Client-to-Site VPN
{: #vpn-ra}
{: toc-content-type="reference-architecture"}
{: toc-industry="Banking,FinancialSector"}
{: toc-use-case="Cybersecurity"}
{: toc-compliance="FedRAMP"}
{: toc-version="2.1.0"}

This deployable architecture pattern configures client-to-site VPN secure and encrypted server connectivity within an existing management VPC using only a few required inputs. After it's been deployed, you can install an OpenVPN client application on the devices that you wish to use for VPN access, and import a profile from the VPN server. The configuration also allows you to specify a list of users that can have access to the private network, with access control managed by IBM Cloud Identity and Access Management.

## Architecture diagram
{: #ra-vpn-ext-architecture-diagram}

![Architecture diagram for adding client-to-site VPN to a landing zone deployable architecture](c2s-basic.drawio.svg "Architecture diagram for adding client-to-site VPN to a landing zone deployable architecture"){: caption="Figure 1. client-to-site VPN on existing landing zone" caption-side="bottom"}{: external download="c2s-basic.drawio.svg"}

## Design requirements
{: #ra-vpn-ext-design-requirements}

![Design requirements for VPN on management VPC landing zone](heat-map-deploy-arch-slz-vpn "Design requirements"){: caption="Figure 2. Scope of the design requirements" caption-side="bottom"}

## Components
{: #ra-vpn-components}

### Client-to-site VPN architecture decisions
{: #ra-vpn-components-arch}

| Requirement | Component | Reasons for choice | Alternative choice |
|-------------|-----------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Set up secure client-to-site VPN | VPN | | |
| Store private certificate in existing Secrets Manager | Secrets Manager | Create and store private certificate to ensure secure communication and authentication between public network and the private VPC | |

### Network security architecture decisions
| Requirement | Component | Reasons for choice | Alternative choice |
|-------------|-----------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Load VPN configuration to simplify VPN setup | VPNs | Open following ports by default: 53 (DNS service), 443 (https) | |
| Create two subnets to achieve high availability | VPC | Distributing resources across two subnets allows for load balancing between them, ensuring that no single point of failure affects the performance or availability of client-to-site VPN | |
| * Create connection to isolated existing management VPC and allow only a limited number of network connections \n * All other connections from or to existing management VPC are forbidden | ACL and security group rules in client-to-site VPN| | More ports might be opened in preset or added manually after deployment |
{: caption="Table 2. Network security architecture decisions" caption-side="bottom"}

## Next steps
{: #ra-vpn-ext-next-steps}

- See the landing zone [deployment guide](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/secure-infrastructure-vpc?topic=secure-infrastructure-vpc-overview).
4 changes: 4 additions & 0 deletions reference-architectures/heat-map-deploy-arch-slz-vpn.svg
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