Chapter 10. VPN Windows Client Configuration

Terms you'll need to understand:

• Unity Client/Cisco Unified Client Framework

• oem.ini

• .pcf files

• Auto-initiate

• vpnclient.ini

• Forced Network Login

• Advanced View

• Simple View

Techniques you'll need to master:

• Recognizing the software operating systems that the VPN client supports

• Understanding the manual and automatic process to install the Unity VPN Client for Windows

• Creating a connection entry and changing the properties of that entry

• Identifying the multitude of choices on the Options menu

• Understanding the steps required to initiate sessions manually and automatically

• Comprehending the Connection Status tabs

• Recognizing the different alterations made to the Cisco VPN Client for Windows version 4.x

The preceding chapters have made mention of the Cisco Unity VPN Client in reference to the concentrator's functions. It is now time to focus on this pivotal portion of the VPN infrastructure and to explore all the intricacies that this client can perform in conjunction with the Cisco VPN 3000 Concentrator. This chapter focuses on the Windows platform for the Unity Client because it supports the full range of utilities and is the most widely used (not to mention that the exam focuses on it).

The Many Flavors of Cisco VPN Clients

The Cisco VPN Unity Client is loosely referred to as the Cisco VPN Client or the Cisco Unity Client in the real world, as well as in this book. Earlier implementations of the Cisco VPN Client used to be referred to as the Cisco VPN 3000 Client, but have since been changed because the newer versions adopted the Cisco's Unified Framework (discussed in the next section) and can interoperate with more devices than just the VPN 3000 Concentrator. To make matters even more confusing, Cisco also supported another VPN client called Cisco Secure VPN Client. This VPN client was used to connect to Cisco PIX firewalls and Cisco routers running IPSec. As of June 2003, Cisco officially announced that the Cisco Secure VPN Client was to be discontinued and has since been replaced with the Cisco VPN Unity Client.