Cisco Secure Client VPN (AKA, AnyConnect).

What is it, and why do we need it?

The Cisco Secure Client VPN solution has been deployed to Central Piedmont employee laptops to improve our security posture and improve our ability to protect employee workstations.

When working off campus, the VPN will automatically attempt to establish providing you a secure tunnel back to the Central Piedmont network. You will not need to log into the VPN, and only Central Piedmont issued laptops are able to connect. An Internet connection is required for this to work.  

Until the secure tunnel is formed, your network traffic will be impeded in order to protect the device. This allows us to ensure all network traffic is routed through a secure tunnel, protecting it from malicious actors who may want to listen in. It also allows us to ensure devices are receiving critical updates and policies on a more frequent and reliable basis. 

NOTE: When on campus, the VPN will detect you are on a trusted network and will not try to establish a secure tunnel. If you find the VPN triggering while you are on campus, please raise an incident ticket through the usual channels. 
 

How do I know the VPN has connected?

Whether on campus, or working remote, you can check the state of your VPN by doing the following:

Open the "Cisco Secure Client" application, which can be found by pressing the Windows Key on your keyboard, or clicking the windows icon in the bottom left of your desktops task bar and searching as below.

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

On the pop up that appears, you will see one of two results. 

  1.  "On a trusted network." indicates the VPN has detected you are on campus, and has decided the VPN is not required.
     Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)
     
  2. "Connected to sslvpn.cpcc.edu." indicates the VPN has detected you are off campus, and therefore the VPN has automatically established.
     
    Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)
     

Additional Considerations:

VPN Taking Too Long To Establish

Due to the variety of laptops issued to staff across Central Piedmont, the VPN tunnel can take a varying amount of time to establish fully. If you find yourself waiting for it to establish for too long, you can manually open the Cisco Secure Client application to prompt it sooner. Press the windows key on your keyboard, or click the windows icon in the bottom left of your desktop task bar, and search: "Cisco Secure Client".

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

Network Icon Showing "No Internet Access"

Due to the way the VPN enforces all your traffic through the secure tunnel, this can sometimes cause issues with Windows detecting it has Internet connectivity. Rest assured, assuming the VPN has established, you will have full Internet connectivity regardless of the icon shown.

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

Unable To Access Local Network Resources While on VPN. 

Additionally due to the way the VPN enforces all your traffic through the secure tunnel, this means that you will no longer be able to access local network resources while on the VPN. As an example, you will no longer be able to use networked printers while away from Central Piedmont campus. This allows us a much greater level of protection to college managed laptops. 

Print Article

Attachments (0)

No attachments found.