#10 Connect to management interface of RUNNING openvpn process
Hi.
Are there any plans to add possibility to control openvpn instances started by other users by using management interface ? Controlling openvpn processes started as service would help to bypass permission problems, so ordinary users could use GUI without admin privileges and be able to open interface, add routes etc. I don't see anything like that in TODO. I would like something like the following:
- put the following lines to .ovpn file:
management 127.0.0.1 12345 password.txt
management-query-passwords
management-hold
- put management password to file password.txt located in configuration dir
- start openvpn service automatically when system starts (it runs with high privileges)
- openvpn-gui would parse .ovpn file for "management" lines and if found use those settings (and password from password.txt) to control running openvpn process WITHOUT starting a new one
This would finally make OpenVPN (OpenVPN-GUI) usable under Windows :/ (especially under Vista/Win7).
Is it hard to do ? I tried other openvpn connection managers, but they have to many requirements (like java, python, .NET), and they are not very comfortable.
The latest GUI already uses the management interface, but not for processes started by the service. However there are plans to extend the service, openvpn and the GUI, so that regular users will be able to establish tunnels in Windows Vista and later. Just a matter of time as it's quite some work to do and so little time left for it. =)
I see. Thank You in advance :)
What are the blockers for this? Are there any updates to the plans?
At the moment it's quite hard to participate.
The main problem I'm seeing is mapping the management ports to config files identically on both ends (openvpn service and GUI) without having to write the management parameters into each config file manually.
Or don't you think this is the way to go?
I really don't want to waste my time, if the solution I'm trying to find isn't accepted by the maintainer.
I want this problem solved upstream.
OpenVPN MI GUI works without admin rights, but needs manually adjusted config files (containing the parameters mentioned above).
Great to hear that you are interested to help. I already have done most of the programming for the service I was talking about previously. It still has some flaws and some TODOs but it works quite well.
I just didn't post it so far because the community lacks Windows developers willing and capable of reviewing and providing constructive criticism. Please join #openvpn-devel on freenode and/or the openvpn-devel mailing list if you are interested helping with what I called "the interactive service". I'd be glad to move on with getting the thing merged upstream.