4 ms·

For AWS, you just need to use AMI for OpenVPN and it is extreme easy to setup in a few minutes.

amanj 8y ago
I am going to try AWS today and post my learning here. But, I have tried the GCP marketplace OpenVPN. I suspect AWS will be very similar. What I didn't like are : - free version restricts you only to 2 concurrent sessions. - you don't have full control over 'server.conf'. Which is super critical to customize the VPN to your needs ( more on the config file here - https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/blob/master/sample/sample-config-files/server.conf https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/blob/master/sample/sample... ). - there is some hidden default configuration that is not really in your favor (to save cost for instance) - e.g default compute instance runs on g1-small, but you can change it during the installation time to smaller one if you want. But if you overlook, you would end up paying about $15/month instead of $0/month. When I see these types of catches, I loose interest in what they offer - because there may be other catches like this one that will come and bite you at a later stage. I want to keep the VPN super simple, honest and transparent (by which I mean, you have complete control over the config file). I didn't see that with the Marketplace image, instead it is designed to help OpenVPN make more money.
amanj 8y ago
Hey, I wanted to come back to share my AWS experience. In a nutshell, its even worse than what GCP Marketplace offers. - Burried deep in the EULA details - the free version allows only 2 concurrent connections, just like the one on GCP. (here is the horrible EULA doc https://d7umqicpi7263.cloudfront.net/eula/product/fe8020db-5343-4c43-9e65-5ed4a825c931/39a4e067-e872-4a59-bcd8-b5e7a60d661e.txt https://d7umqicpi7263.cloudfront.net/eula/product/fe8020db-5... ) - Experience of picking the type of product and launching is awful compared to GCP. Happy to share more details, but I definitely would say this is painful experience. GCP has done a much better job. I still honestly don't know whether I ended up subscribing to services that I don't really need/or will get billed. I just have to wait and see. (e.g had to create key value pair, security groups, I see a volume showing up in my EC2 dashboard, not sure if I am going to get billed for it! ). I don't work for either AWS or GCP, but honestly I feel GCP has done a much better job here. I don't like GCP marketplace OpenVPN also for the reasons I mentioned in my earlier post, but AWS is even worse. - Here is their documentation for setting up and configuring OpenVPN through Marketplace - https://openvpn.net/vpn-server-resources/amazon-web-services-ec2-tiered-appliance-quick-start-guide/ https://openvpn.net/vpn-server-resources/amazon-web-services... . I am honestly shocked that they did such a bad job for a so called "one-click" application. I honestly don't think this is even designed for personal. It's more like try-me bait before they ask you pay to have someone set it up for you.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

I am going to try AWS today and post my learning here. But, I have tried the GCP marketplace OpenVPN. I suspect AWS will be very similar. What I didn't like are : - free version restricts you only to 2 concurrent sessions. - you don't have full control over 'server.conf'. Which is super critical to customize the VPN to your needs ( more on the config file here - https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/blob/master/sample/sample-config-files/server.conf https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/blob/master/sample/sample... ). - there is some hidden default configuration that is not really in your favor (to save cost for instance) - e.g default compute instance runs on g1-small, but you can change it during the installation time to smaller one if you want. But if you overlook, you would end up paying about $15/month instead of $0/month. When I see these types of catches, I loose interest in what they offer - because there may be other catches like this one that will come and bite you at a later stage. I want to keep the VPN super simple, honest and transparent (by which I mean, you have complete control over the config file). I didn't see that with the Marketplace image, instead it is designed to help OpenVPN make more money.

amanj 8y ago

Hey, I wanted to come back to share my AWS experience. In a nutshell, its even worse than what GCP Marketplace offers. - Burried deep in the EULA details - the free version allows only 2 concurrent connections, just like the one on GCP. (here is the horrible EULA doc https://d7umqicpi7263.cloudfront.net/eula/product/fe8020db-5343-4c43-9e65-5ed4a825c931/39a4e067-e872-4a59-bcd8-b5e7a60d661e.txt https://d7umqicpi7263.cloudfront.net/eula/product/fe8020db-5... ) - Experience of picking the type of product and launching is awful compared to GCP. Happy to share more details, but I definitely would say this is painful experience. GCP has done a much better job. I still honestly don't know whether I ended up subscribing to services that I don't really need/or will get billed. I just have to wait and see. (e.g had to create key value pair, security groups, I see a volume showing up in my EC2 dashboard, not sure if I am going to get billed for it! ). I don't work for either AWS or GCP, but honestly I feel GCP has done a much better job here. I don't like GCP marketplace OpenVPN also for the reasons I mentioned in my earlier post, but AWS is even worse. - Here is their documentation for setting up and configuring OpenVPN through Marketplace - https://openvpn.net/vpn-server-resources/amazon-web-services-ec2-tiered-appliance-quick-start-guide/ https://openvpn.net/vpn-server-resources/amazon-web-services... . I am honestly shocked that they did such a bad job for a so called "one-click" application. I honestly don't think this is even designed for personal. It's more like try-me bait before they ask you pay to have someone set it up for you.

deleted 8y ago
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