Cisco AnyConnect was retired on 1 June 2023.
eduVPN is now the chosen VPN provider for the University of Otago.
The University of Otago's VPN service allows you to contact the University's computer network from off-campus and from most locations around the world.
Do you need to use VPN?
The majority of the University’s teaching-related and some administrative applications/services are available directly from the internet so you don’t need to use the VPN service to access these.
The following systems are available directly through a web browser without the need to use the VPN:
- Blackboard
- Echo360
- eVision
- ITS Corporate Applications (e.g. Blackboard Staff and Capture Administration)
- Library E-resources
- Microsoft 365
- Moodle (Health Sciences)
- Staff Web Kiosk
- Zoom
The VPN service is required for off-campus access to:
- Applications and services that are only available when connected to the University of Otago network on-campus (e.g. Business Objects, Finance One, HR Back Office, OURDrive)
- Files and shared folders on the High Capacity Storage (HCS) service (e.g. your S:/ or U:/ drive). See the related article: Connecting to shared drives (HCS, U drive)
- Your work computer in your University of Otago office or lab
Visitors to the University
The University of Otago VPN service does not provide access for guests and visitors to the University. When on campus, visitors can access wireless services via eduroam or UO_Guest
Access to the VPN service is logged for security purposes. The logging information that we retain specifically for this includes user ID, time of client connect (or connection attempt), time of client disconnect, issued VPN IP address and client IP address.
Accessing the VPN
University of Otago staff usernames and external usernames of the type "CFI" are automatically enabled to access the VPN service.
If you are a student, a University staff member will need to request VPN access on your behalf via the VPN Access form
Your computer or mobile devices use the eduVPN client software to connect to the University of Otago's VPN service from off-campus:
Installing and connecting to eduVPN
Personal devices and eduVPN
Due to security concerns, staff should only install and use eduVPN, or connect to the University of Otago VPN, on devices owned and managed by the University. If a staff member contacts AskOtago regarding the installation of eduVPN on their personal device, we should advise them that they should be provided a University-owned device for off-campus work use, and refer them back to their department to arrange this.
External users
External users do not need further staff approval to use the VPN. Having received approval for an external account in the first place is approval enough to be granted access to the VPN if required.