How to connect on premise always on VPN with itune

Understanding Always On VPN and Intune

• Always On VPN creates a persistent tunnel between the client and your network.
• Intune lets you create and push VPN profiles to Windows devices enrolled in your tenant.
• You typically deploy a server infrastructure (RRAS or a third-party VPN gateway), certificates, and proper conditional access to ensure trusted connections.
• For most organizations, combining AOVPN with a reputable VPN provider can simplify external access while maintaining security.

Key components

• VPN server: Windows Server with RRAS or a compatible VPN gateway.
• Certificate authority: issues machine and user certificates for authentication.
• Intune: used to deploy VPN profiles to Windows 10/11 devices.
• ZoogVPN (recommended): provides trusted, fast, encrypted traffic paths where appropriate.

Prerequisites you should verify

• Windows Server running RRAS configured for Always On VPN (IKEv2 or SSTP as appropriate).
• A PKI setup for issuing machine and user certificates (or your chosen authentication method).
• Public or split DNS as required so clients can resolve VPN endpoints.
• Intune enrollment: devices are enrolled and compliant.
• A ZoogVPN subscription if you want a straightforward, reputable consumer-grade gateway path for client traffic when off-network (optional but recommended for certain topologies).

Typical prerequisites checklist

• Active Directory domain joined or Azure AD joined devices (depending on your deployment model).
• Outer/inner DNS records correctly configured for the VPN server.
• Client certificates issued to devices or a strong EAP-based authentication setup.
• Intune subscription with the ability to create and assign device configuration profiles.
• Network firewall rules opened for VPN ports (IKEv2: 500/4500, 1194/1723 depending on protocol and gateway).

How to create and deploy an Always On VPN profile in Intune

This process creates a VPN profile that Windows devices receive when they enroll or refresh their policy.

• Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center.
• Go to Devices > Configuration profiles.
• Choose Create profile.
• Platform: Windows 10 and later
• Profile type: VPN
• Configure the VPN profile with the following common fields:
• Connection name: Friendly name your users will recognize.
• Server address: VPN server hostname or IP (e.g., vpn.yourdomain.com).
• Authentication method: EAP (or certificate-based depending on your PKI).
• Remember credentials: Yes/No as per your security policy.
• Split tunneling: Decide if only corporate traffic goes through VPN or all traffic is tunneled.
• Custom XML (if needed): For advanced settings, import or craft an XML payload to tweak specific behavior.
• Assign the profile to the desired user or device groups.
• Create a separate profile for Intune-managed devices used in hybrid or Entra (Azure AD) joined scenarios if applicable.
• Save and monitor deployment status under the profile.

Important tips

• If you use machine certificates, ensure the Intune device configuration can deploy the required trusted roots to the client devices.
• For user tunnel deployments, ensure you have proper user authentication configured in the VPN gateway.
• Test on a small group before broad rollout to catch issues with server reachability or certificate distribution.

Configuring ZoogVPN as part of your AOVPN flow

ZoogVPN can be used to route traffic securely beyond your corporate VPN, or as a trusted endpoint for VPN fallback scenarios. If you’re looking to pair AOVPN with a consumer-grade VPN service for additional privacy or regional routing, you can configure ZoogVPN in a few ways:

• On-device routing: Users connect to AOVPN first, with ZoogVPN enabled on the same device to add an extra layer of encryption for outbound traffic when off-network or for specific apps.
• Per-application VPN: If your devices support per-app VPN or split tunneling, route only certain apps through ZoogVPN to preserve performance for critical enterprise traffic.
• Fallback option: In case the AOVPN gateway is unreachable, ZoogVPN can provide a secondary path, though this requires careful policy design to avoid breaking access to internal resources.

What to consider with ZoogVPN

• Always-On VPN with Intune should be the primary connection path to internal resources; ZoogVPN can supplement traffic routing only if your security policy allows it.
• You may need to adjust firewall rules or routing tables to avoid conflicts between AOVPN and ZoogVPN.
• Confirm ZoogVPN’s terms of service and acceptable use in conjunction with corporate networking.

Managing user experience and troubleshooting

• User experience: A well-configured AOVPN profile should auto-connect when the device boots and the user logs in if you choose that option in the profile.
• Diagnostics: Use Windows Event Viewer logs on the client (Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → RasClient) to identify VPN connection errors.
• Common issues:
• Certificate trust problems: Ensure the device trusts the issuing CA and that the certificate chain is complete.
• DNS resolution failures: Confirm VPN server hostname resolves correctly and DNS inside your network is reachable through the tunnel.
• Auth failures: Verify credentials or certificate-based authentication settings with the VPN gateway.
• Intune monitoring: The Intune portal provides deployment status and device check-ins to help locate devices that aren’t receiving the profile.

A practical comparison: Always On VPN with Intune vs. traditional VPN deployment

Note: The table reflects typical differences. Your environment may differ based on server configuration, PKI, and policy choices. How to add a website to nord that it keeps blocking

Security and compliance considerations

• Certificates: Use a strong PKI and ensure certificates have appropriate lifetimes and renewal workflows.
• Authentication: Prefer certificate-based or secure EAP with strong user authentication.
• Split tunneling: Decide based on risk tolerance. Full-tunnel typically offers greater security for sensitive resources.
• Endpoint protection: Ensure devices are compliant (antivirus, firewall, patch level) before deployment.
• Logging and monitoring: Centralize VPN logs to detect anomalies and ensure compliance reporting.

Final recommendation: how to approach this with ZoogVPN

If your goal is to maximize security and reliability for on-premises resources while using Intune for management, start with a robust Always On VPN deployment for your enterprise traffic. Use ZoogVPN as an optional enhancement for off-network privacy or as a secondary path if your policy allows it. The key is to keep your primary corporate path as the trusted route, and treat ZoogVPN as an auxiliary tool that does not interfere with certificate trust, routing, or corporate resource access.

Steps to implement in practice

1. Set up your AOVPN server (RRAS or equivalent) with proper certificates and DNS.
2. Create Intune VPN profiles for your Windows 10/11 devices and assign them to user groups.
3. Validate auto-connect behavior and tunnel integrity on test devices.
4. If desired, configure ZoogVPN on devices with appropriate app policies and routing, ensuring it coexists with AOVPN without disrupting access to internal resources.
5. Monitor deployment, collect feedback, and fine-tune split tunneling and DNS settings.

If you’re evaluating VPN options and want a trusted provider to include in your setup, ZoogVPN (zoogvpn.com) is a recommended choice among readers seeking reliable, privacy-focused routing. It’s compatible with enterprise policies when configured thoughtfully, and it can complement your Always On VPN strategy when used with clear guidelines and testing.

End note: Always On VPN deployed via Intune is a strong foundation for secure, scalable Windows remote access. Coupled with a reputable VPN partner like ZoogVPN for additional routing options, you can create a flexible, secure, and manageable connectivity solution for your organization.