Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a secure and encrypted communication channel between two networks, allowing them to communicate as if they are on the same network. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a VPN connection between your on-premises network and the AWS cloud.
The benefits of using a VPN connection with AWS and an on-premise environment include secure and encrypted communication, cost-effectiveness and scalability, and flexibility to access resources in both environments.
Before setting up the VPN connection, it is important to understand the prerequisites and requirements. To create a VPN connection, you will need an AWS account, on-premise network infrastructure, and a public IP address for the customer gateway device.
Additionally, it is important to understand the AWS networking architecture, including the Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), subnets, Internet Gateway, route tables, and security groups.
To create an AWS VPN connection, you will need to create a Virtual Private Gateway in the AWS Management Console and configure a customer gateway device to support IPsec VPN connections.
Here are the steps to create the VPN connection:
- Log in to the AWS Management Console, and navigate to the VPC Dashboard.
2. Create a Virtual Private Gateway and attach it to the VPC which is need to be connected by VPN.
3. Create a customer gateway with the public IP address of the VPN device.
4. Navigate to the VPC Dashboard and create a Site-to-Site VPN Connection, specify the virtual private gateway and customer gateway, and choose the Dynamic or Static routing options.
What is the difference between Dynamic and Static?
Dynamic Routing: This involves the use of routing protocols, such as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), to dynamically exchange routing information between VPN gateways. Dynamic routing enables the VPN gateways to automatically update their routing tables based on changes in the network, allowing for more efficient and resilient routing.
Static Routing: This involves the manual configuration of static routes on each VPN gateway. With static routing, the routes do not change unless they are manually updated, making it a simpler and more straightforward option for small networks or environments with limited complexity.
5. Enable the Propagated in each Routing table.
6. Click the Download configuration on the Site-to-Site VPN connection page and put your VPN device information. Setting on your VPN device as the guide you downloaded.
7. Once the connection has successfully connected, you can see the connection status would be changed to UP(Green).
The steps for creating a VPN connection are straightforward and can be easily completed by following the instructions in the AWS Management Console.
Once the VPN connection is created and configured, you can test network connectivity and validate the VPN configuration. To ensure the security and optimal performance of your VPN connection, it is important to implement best practices such as securing the VPN connection, optimizing VPN performance, and monitoring and troubleshooting the VPN connection.
Here are some tips for securing the VPN connection:
1. Use strong authentication methods such as digital certificates and two-factor authentication
2. Configure the firewall rules for the VPN connection to restrict access to only trusted IP addresses
3. Enable logging for the VPN connection to track activity and detect potential security threats
To optimize VPN performance, consider implementing the following best practices:
1. Use the recommended encryption algorithms and key lengths to balance security and performance
2. Use a fast and reliable internet connection to avoid performance degradation
3. Monitor the VPN connection to detect and resolve any performance issues
To monitor and troubleshoot the VPN connection, you can use tools such as the AWS Management Console, Amazon CloudWatch, and AWS Trusted Advisor. By monitoring the VPN connection and resolving any issues, you can ensure that your VPN connection is always available and performing optimally.
In conclusion, creating an AWS VPN connection between the AWS cloud and on-premise environment allows you to securely and cost-effectively access resources in both environments. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily set up a VPN connection and implement best practices to ensure its security and optimal performance.
