- U of G Guidelines for VPN Use [1]
- Installation Instructions for Mac Users [2]
- Installation Instructions for Windows Users [3]
- Possible VPN Restrictions When Travelling [4]
- Frequently Asked Questions [5]
The University of Guelph provides a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service to staff and faculty to facilitate remote (i.e., off-campus) access to select on-campus resources. VPN is a requirement for accessing U of G systems or applications where there may be a security risk or privacy concern with the data or systems involved. As of May 23, 2017, VPN will also be required for remote access to FRS/My Grants Tracker and ImageNow/WebNow. The VPN client used by U of G is the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client (herein referred to as "AnyConnect").
VPN ensures the security of the connection by encrypting all data transmitted between your computer and the University network and making your connection appear to be exactly the same as if you were connecting on campus. VPN opens a secure 'doorway' from anywhere on the internet back to campus. Using VPN software on a remote computer, you'll establish secure access on top of an ordinary internet connection.
VPN is currently required to remotely access the following systems:
- CFS (Central File Service)
- FRS (Financial Reporting System)
- Various enterprise applications, library resources, and other smaller systems with limited use/access.
Please visit the CCS InfoSec website to review the Guidelines for VPN Use at the University of Guelph [1].
Traffic Encryption Policy
The purpose of the VPN service is to provide a secure way to communicate with systems on campus, rather than general internet connectivity. You can use this service from off-campus and from wired or wireless connections on campus. After you establish your VPN session, only data traffic to specific networks (based on the policies of the group you belong to) will be encrypted.
Supported Operating Systems
Windows
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
- Windows 10
Mac OS X (32 bit and 64 bit)
- 10.8
- 10.9
- 10.10
Note: Mac OS X 10.7 and below are no longer supported.
Linux
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.x (32-bit)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4 (64-bit)
- Ubuntu 9.x, 10.x, and 11.x (32-bit)
- Ubuntu 12.04 & 12.10 (64-bit)