OpenVPN Access Server System Administrator Guide

2.3 User Authentication and Management
OpenVPN Access Server can manage its own internal database and can also work with a variety of
popular authentication methods. The currently supported systems are:
1. Local: Internal Database authentication
2. PAM: the system for authenticating users with accounts on the Access Server Linux host
3. Active Directory/LDAP Server
4. RADIUS Server(s)
The user authentication service may reside on the same server as the Access Server (as is always
the case when PAM is chosen); or it can reside on a completely separate server, as long as the
server is reachable by the Access Server via either the private or public network. A typical
deployment with an external user database is shown in Figure 5 below.
Figure 5: Access Server Deployment with External User Database
2.4 Client Configuration Generation and Management
The client files (OpenVPN client configuration file and Windows software installer) for a particular
user are automatically created when the user successfully logs in to the Connect Client. This
process takes place without any need for interaction from the administrator, as long as the user can
authenticate against the user database chosen by the administrator during installation of the Access
Server.
OpenVPN Access Server System Administrator Guide
8