Unitrends uses OpenVPN, an open source virtual private network program, to create an optimized, secure, encrypted tunnel for multiple Unitrends systems. OpenVPN offers a scalable solution for enabling multiple clients to connect to a single OpenVPN server process through a single UDP port.
There are two typical use cases associated with using OpenVPN with Unitrends systems. The first case features is a vaulting scenario with a vault and one or more backup systems. In this case, a secure tunnel is configured between the vault and the backup systems in order to facilitate both the vaulting of data and the management of the systems. The second case occurs when two or more systems are managed by a designated management system. With this setup, you can then perform operations for all systems from one Unitrends system interface.
The primary advantages of OpenVPN are that it enables radically simpler firewall management (since only one port is needed between off-premise Unitrends systems) and that it enables much higher session availability. Higher session availability results because OpenVPN can handle lower quality WAN lines that would typically result in session termination (through UDP-level ride-through of short-lived transient line failures).