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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.macstadium.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Before You Begin

  • The server address from Step 1: VPN in the IP Plan.
  • The username and password from Step 1: VPN in the IP Plan.

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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.
ScenarioVPN required?
orka3 CLI commands (deploy, list, delete VMs)Yes
Orka web UIYes
SSH into a VMYes
VNC / Screen Sharing into a VMYes
CI/CD runner already inside your corporate network (routed through VPN)Depends on your network topology
VDI end-user sessions via Citrix Workspace appNo — Citrix proxies the session over outbound TCP 443
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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(Open-Source Option) OpenConnect

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Why OpenConnect?

If you are a pre-dominantly CLI user, you might want to use OpenConnect - an open-source VPN client available from the command line.

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Download and Install OpenConnect

  • If you have Homebrew on your system, you can run brew install openconnect from your command line.
  • If you’re running on Windows, you can download and build the OpenConnect package yourself or you can use Cisco AnyConnect instead.

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Use OpenConnect

  1. From your command line, run the following command. Replace <SERVER ADDRESS> with the server address from Step 1: VPN in the IP Plan.
     sudo openconnect <SERVER ADDRESS> --protocol=anyconnect  
     // OR if running on Windows  
     openconnect <SERVER ADDRESS> --protocol=anyconnect
  1. Follow the prompts.
    • On the immediate Password prompt, provide your sudo password (the password for your current computer user) and press Enter.
    • On the Enter ‘yes’ to accept, ‘no’ to abort; anything else to view: prompt, type yes and press Enter.
    • On the Username prompt, provide the username from Step 1: VPN in the IP Plan and press Enter.
    • On the Password prompt, provide the password from Step 1: VPN in the IP Plan and press Enter.
When the connection is established, you will see a similar output: OpenConnect terminal output showing successful VPN connection TIP: Want to terminate the VPN connection? At any time press Ctrl+C on the command line.

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Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

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Why Cisco AnyConnect?

Cisco firewalls are designed to work with the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client as a VPN client. If you prefer a GUI VPN client or you’re running on Windows, you might want to use Cisco AnyConnect.

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Download and Install Cisco AnyConnect

  1. In your browser, navigate to the server address from Step 1: VPN of your IP Plan. You might need to use https://.
  2. Ignore the certificate warning and proceed to the address.
  3. When prompted, enter the credentials from Step 1: VPN in the IP Plan. For Orka Small Teams, see here.\ Cisco AnyConnect login prompt for server address and credentials
  4. When prompted, download, install, and run the Cisco AnyConnect desktop client.

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Use Cisco AnyConnect

  1. Run Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client.
  2. When prompted, enter the server address from Step 1: VPN of your IP Plan and click Connect.\ Cisco AnyConnect main screen with server address field
  3. If prompted that an untrusted server was blocked, perform the following steps:
    • Click Change Setting… and deselect 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 prompted that the server certificate is untrusted, click Connect Anyway.
  5. When prompted, provide your login credentials and click OK.