OpenVPN systemd use

This is only a brief summary of OpenVPN systemd usage.

Details: ​https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/blob/master/distro/systemd/README.systemd

OpenVPN must be compiled with systemd support.

Use the correct OpenVPN supported systemd .service files.

Build OpenVPN with systemd support:

When you build the openvpn binary use the configure option --enable-systemd like so:

./configure --enable-systemd

Verify OpenVPN systemd support has been enabled:

$ openvpn --version | grep systemd

Look for enable-systemd=yes in the output.

Using OpenVPN with systemd support:

In order to use OpenVPN with systemd please use the correct systemd .service file.

Server:

• Place your server configuration file in /etc/openvpn/server
• Use the openvpn-server@.service like so:

  $ sudo systemctl start openvpn-server@{Server-config}
  

  Replace {Server-config} with the name of your config file without the .conf

Client:

• Place your client configuration file in /etc/openvpn/client
• Use the openvpn-client@.service like so:

  $ sudo systemctl start openvpn-client@{Client-config}
  

  Replace {Client-config} with the name of your config file without the .conf

Start at boot:

Replace systemctl start ... with systemctl enable ...

Interrogate systemd

Use systemctl to show your current systemd-daemon state.

Other systemd questions are probably best answered by reading man systemd

Note:

• openvpn@.service is deprecated.
• openvpn.service is obsoleted. (This is only used for backward compatibility)

Known issues:

​https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/ticket/945
​https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/ticket/1089