What is OpenVPN Client ?

OpenVPN is open-source commercial software that implements virtual private network (VPN) techniques to create secure point-to-point or site-to-site connections in routed or bridged configurations and remote access facilities. It uses a custom security protocol that utilizes SSL/TLS for key exchange. OpenVPN is both a VPN protocol and software that uses VPN techniques to secure point-to-point and site-to-site connections.

With OpenVPN, you can:

• tunnel any IP subnetwork or virtual ethernet adapter over a single UDP or TCP port.
• configure a scalable, load-balanced VPN server farm using one or more machines which can handle thousands of dynamic connections from incoming VPN clients.
• use all of the encryption, authentication, and certification features of the OpenSSL library to protect your private network traffic as it transits the internet.
• use any cipher, key size, or HMAC digest (for datagram integrity checking) supported by the OpenSSL library.
• choose between static-key based conventional encryption or certificate-based public key encryption.
• use static, pre-shared keys or TLS-based dynamic key exchange,.
• use real-time adaptive link compression and traffic-shaping to manage link bandwidth utilization.
• tunnel networks whose public endpoints are dynamic such as DHCP or dial-in clients.
• tunnel networks through connection-oriented stateful firewalls without having to use explicit firewall rules.
• tunnel networks over NAT,.
• create secure ethernet bridges using virtual tap devices.
• control OpenVPN using a GUI on Windows or Mac OS X.