Avocent 5224 User Manual

 Chapter 2: Accessing the MergePoint 5224/5240 Appliance and Target Devices        27

The authorized user creates a VPN tunnel using either IPSec or PPTP. A user authorized for native 
IP can access native IP functionality through the Web Manager or through using ssh management 
commands after creating a tunnel using either IPSec or PPTP. 

Figure 2.2 shows an illustration of a single user’s workstation running IPSec on the right end and 
the MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager on the left end, with a router and the Internet between the 
MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager and the user’s workstation.

Typically, the user configures a named VPN connection profile (or shortcut) on the user’s 
workstation, using either IPSec or PPTP. The name on the user’s end for a preconfigured VPN 
connection profile might be the name of the MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager. The name on the 
MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager end for a VPN connection profile might simply be the name 
and location of the user.

NOTE:  Most systems, including the MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager, refer to configuring a VPN connection, 
but until the connection is actually made, what is informally called a VPN connection is actually a named 
connection profile or connection shortcut, which stores the information the computer needs in order to establish 
the connection.

The prerequisites for creating a VPN connection are shown in the following list:

•

The user on the remote workstation and the MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager administrator 
have configured VPN connection profiles from both sides to support the VPN connection. See 
Creating a VPN Tunnel on page 27 for more details.

•

The user has created a VPN tunnel between the user’s workstation and the MergePoint 5224/
5240 SP manager.

•

The user has logged into the MergePoint 5224/5240 SP manager, either through the Web 
Manager or through the command line and has been authenticated.