Using BU's SSL VPN

SSL VPN Introduction

Binghamton University has implemented Juniper Networks’ SSL VPN solution to provide an easy to use VPN for the University community. The SSL VPN can be used to securely access on-campus resources from anywhere on the Internet.

Requirements

BU domain login and password (e.g. BGM, PODS, FND, etc)
Windows XP/2000, MacOS X, or Linux. (Although the SSL VPN works with Linux, BU ITS is not providing support for Linux users at this time.)
Java Virtual Machine 1.4.2 or higher.
A web browser (BU ITS has tested IE 6, IE 7, Firefox 1.0+ and Safari).

NOTE: Please note that Windows 95/98/Me as well as Mac OS 9 are not supported.

Getting Started

Open a web browser and go to: http://ssl.binghamton.edu
At the login page, enter your BU domain network login name and password in the respective boxes and click the Sign In botton.
The first time you use the SSL VPN, it will download and install a small VPN client on your computer. You may need to click through some warning boxes that pop-up. It is safe to agree to continue. The next time you use the SSL VPN from the same computer, the process will go much quicker since you won’t have to install anything.
After the SSL VPN successfully starts up, you should see the following page in your web browser:
Using the links provided on this page will allow you to access things like Outlook Web Access, your network home directory, and so on.
Once connected, you should be able to access most on-campus resources. Additionally, if you are using the Netconnect feature you do not need to keep the web browser open for the SSL VPN to continue to function.

Technical Details

Technical Details

It should be noted that there are timeout values set for the SSL VPN. If no traffic passes over the SSL VPN for 240 minutes or more, the SSL VPN will automatically end your session (idle timeout). In addition, the maximum amount of time you can be on the SSL VPN in any single session is 8 hours (max session length). So, if you tend to stay connected to the VPN, you will need to re-authenticate and login at least once each day.

When you are done using the SSL VPN, you should sign out. You can do this by right-clicking on the icon in the system tray and choosing Sign Out from the pop-up menu.

Connecting to Other Systems at BU

Connecting to Other Systems at BU

Some systems at BU require the use of the Juniper Network Connect client. These systems include, but are not limited to, things like CICS, Oracle, and so on. You can find the Network Connect link at the top left of the SSL VPN.

Clicking this link will start the Network Connect client. The first time you connect, you may see a dialog box explaining that a small piece of software is being installed. You may also be required to restart Windows (initial connect only). Once this connection is established, you will be able to access the above mentioned BU systems.

NOTE:Using the Network Connect client is not required for most users.

Using Your Network ("H" and "S") Drives

Using Your Network ("H" and "S") Drives Accessing your network drives (H or S drives) is simple to do when using the BU SSL VPN. However, there are a few things you need to be aware of. In order to work on a file, you must first download it to your local machine. To do this, click the link labeled Home Directory or BGM Share Drive to be linked to the appropriate drive.

Once you are linked to the drive, select the file you wish to work on by checking the box next to it and then click Download (You may select multiple files to download.)

Once you are done with the file, save it to your local machine, then select Upload Files from the network drive page. Click the Browse button and select the file you wish to upload to the server. Once you have selected it, click the Upload button at the bottom of the page and the file will be saved to the network drive.

Using With Mac OS X and Linux

Using With Mac OS X and Linux While these instructions have focused on the Microsoft Windows platform, the basic concepts should work on MacOS X and Linux desktops. Both require a Java Runtime to be installed (minimum 1.4.2, but 5.0/1.5.0 is recommended). Safari on the Mac should work fine. BU ITS is currently unable to provide support for home Linux systems.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

While testing the SSL VPN, the testers ran into a few issues. If you run into problems getting the SSL VPN to work, one of these solutions may solve your problem:

Problem #1: Your browser hangs after logging in, but before or while the SSL VPN client is being installed.

Solution #1: Quit the browser and go to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs. Look for “Juniper Network Network Connect” and remove it if it exists. Also, remove any “Java 2 Runtime Environment” or “J2SE Runtime Environment” items. Now go to

http://www.java.com/

and click on the “Download Now” icon. After you install the latest Java Runtime, restart your browser and try the SSL VPN again.

Problem #2: I still can’t seem to get the SSL VPN client to automatically download and install.

Solution #2: You can try manually downloading and installing the client. Go back to the SSL VPN web page and click on “Preferences” then “Applications” then the “Manual SSL VPN Client Install” download link. Select the Network Connect client appropriate for your operating system.

Problem #3: You were able to login to the SSL VPN and the SSL VPN client seemed to install okay, but it just doesn’t work.

Solution #3: Make sure the SSL VPN icon is in the system tray and is not grayed-out. If it isn’t in the system tray, try clicking the “Start” button on the Network Connect web page. If that doesn’t work, check to make sure you don’t have any other VPN clients installed such as CheckPoint VPN client, Cisco VPN client or Netscreen VPN client. Other VPN clients may interfere with the SSL VPN client operations. Either disable them or use the Add/Remove Program option in the Control Panel to delete the other VPN clients.

Problem #4: I keep getting disconnected from the SSL VPN after leaving my machine for a while.

Solution #4: There are two timeout values for the SSL VPN. One is an “idle timeout” which is set for 240 minutes. If no traffic passes over the SSL VPN for 240 minutes, it will end your session. You should get a pop-up about 5 minutes prior to warn you. The other timeout value is a “max session length.” This is the maximum amount of time you can be signed onto the SSL VPN for a given session. This is set to 8 hours. After 8 hours, the SSL VPN will end your session and you will need to login again. It should also warn you about 5 minutes prior.

APPENDIX B: Logging into SSL VPN’s Network Connect

Logging into SSL VPN’s Network Connect

Binghamton University has implemented Juniper Network’s SSL VPN to provide an easy to use, secure VPN for the college community. When activated, Network Connect assigns a new IP address to your computer and encrypts data flowing to and from your computer and Binghamton University.

You may access Network Connect at the following site: http://ssl.binghamton.edu
Enter your domain userID and password. For most, that is your BGM domain info.

Note: The first time you use Network Connect, it will download and install a small VPN client. There will be warning boxes to click through. It is safe to agree to continue in this instance.

Click the Network Connect Start button to establish a secure VPN connection.

You now have a secure VPN connection and may begin to use Hyperion for ODS. The padlock icon in the task pane on the lower right side of the screen shows that you are in fact connected.