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Before you begin

  • The VPN server address: your firewall’s public IP, shown at the top of the firewall’s section in My Cloud.
  • The VPN username and password: shown under Credentials in the firewall’s section in My Cloud. Select Show to reveal them.

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When VPN is required

Your Orka cluster sits behind a dedicated Cisco ASAv firewall. VMs and the Orka management plane are on a private network and not reachable from the public internet without VPN.
VDI end users do not need a VPN client. Citrix Workspace app establishes the session outbound through Citrix Cloud. VPN is only required for administrators managing the Orka cluster itself.
To protect your environment, MacStadium deploys your Orka cluster with a dedicated Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) firewall. Cisco ASAv runs the same software as physical Cisco ASAs and delivers full ASA firewall and VPN capabilities to the cloud. MacStadium has pre-configured the firewall and has enabled VPN access. All you need to do is run a VPN client and provide the server address and credentials for the connection.

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Connect with OpenConnect

OpenConnect is an open-source, command-line VPN client that works with Cisco firewalls. Use it if you prefer working from the command line.

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Install OpenConnect

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Use OpenConnect

  1. Run the following command. Replace <SERVER_ADDRESS> with your firewall’s public IP from My Cloud. On macOS and Linux:
    On Windows:
  2. Follow the prompts:
    • At the first Password prompt, enter your sudo password (the password for your user on this computer).
    • At the Enter 'yes' to accept, 'no' to abort; anything else to view prompt, enter yes.
    • At the Username prompt, enter the VPN username from the firewall’s Credentials in My Cloud.
    • At the next Password prompt, enter the VPN password from the firewall’s Credentials in My Cloud.
When the connection is established, you see output similar to the following: OpenConnect terminal output showing successful VPN connection
To end the VPN connection, press Ctrl+C.

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Connect with Cisco Secure Client

Cisco Secure Client (formerly Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client) is Cisco’s VPN client for its firewalls. Use it if you prefer a graphical client or you’re on Windows. Depending on your firewall’s software version, the client it offers might still be named Cisco AnyConnect.

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Install Cisco Secure Client

  1. In your browser, go to your firewall’s public IP from My Cloud. You might need to add https:// before the address.
  2. Ignore the certificate warning and proceed to the address.
  3. When prompted, enter the VPN credentials from the firewall’s Credentials in My Cloud. Cisco AnyConnect login prompt for server address and credentials
  4. When prompted, download, install, and run the client.

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Use Cisco Secure Client

  1. Open Cisco Secure Client.
  2. Enter your firewall’s public IP from My Cloud and click Connect. Cisco AnyConnect main screen with server address field
  3. If a message says that an untrusted server was blocked:
    • Click Change Setting… and clear Block connections to untrusted servers.
    • Close the Preferences - VPN window.
    • Click Connect again.
    Cisco AnyConnect Preferences with Block connections to untrusted servers option
  4. If a message says that the server certificate is untrusted, click Connect Anyway.
  5. When prompted, enter your VPN credentials and click OK.