The VPN network is now up and running – we encourage everyone working from home on AU equipment to use it VPN

Update 19 March 

When you log on to the virtual private network (VPN), it’s like working on a computer at AU: you have the same level of protection. In other words, your internet connection is encrypted, which makes it invisible to anyone who might want to intercept your data. Read more about VPN.

To academic staff

• Use the VPN as much as possible when working from home.
• But note than you may only use the VPN network if you’re working on AU equipment – that is to say, equipment provided to you by AU, such as your work computer.
• If you can’t work on AU equipment but have to work on a personal pc instead, for security reasons, do not install or log onto VPN.
• If you are currently using your personal computer but you have an AU computer at the university, you are allowed to go to campus to pick up your equipment.
• If you are teaching remotely, you should temporarily log off the VPN network during the teaching session to ensure the best user experience. We also ask you to be careful not to share sensitive personal data and confidential information while teaching remotely, because your data isn’t encrypted when you’re not logged on the VPN.
• Be aware that the VPN can cause problems with online meetings, for instance. Log off during your meeting and log in again afterwards.  

To administrative staff

• Use the VPN as much as possible when working from home.
• But note than you may only use the VPN network if you’re working on AU equipment – that is to say, equipment provided to you by AU, such as your work computer.
• If you can’t work on AU equipment but have to work on a personal pc instead, for security reasons, do not install or log onto VPN.
• If you are currently using your personal computer but you have an AU computer at the university, you are allowed to go to campus to pick up your equipment.
• Be aware that the VPN can cause problems with online meetings, for instance. Log off during your meeting and log in again afterwards.

Update 16 March at 7:00 pm

The VPN network is now fully operational. This means that both employees and students can now access and use the network without problems.

Out of consideration for information security, we encourage all employees to use the VPN network when working from home.

• When you log on to the virtual private network (VPN), it’s like working at your AU office: you have the same level of protection. In other words, your internet connection is encrypted – making it invisible. Nobody can monitor what you’re doing.
• So please use the VPN as much as possible when working from home.
• The VPN might cause a few problems (at online meetings, for instance). But all you have to do is log off temporarily, and log on again when your meeting is over. 
• For more information about the VPN

Read IT Security: Important information for everyone working from home

Update 13 March at 4:15 pm

AU now expands its VPN solution’s capacity. If you experience problems in connection with the expansion of AU’s VPN solution, please restart your computer and log on again.

The system will be expanded today Friday at 17:00.

Update 12 March at 7:00 pm

AU IT is still working hard to increase the capacity of our VPN network. Unfortunately, however, we still anticipate that there will be capacity problems tomorrow, Friday 13 March. For this reason, it is still important that you only use the VPN network when absolutely necessary, and that you log out when you are finished using the VPN. You also need to log off VPN if you want to hold video conference meetings or use streaming services. Both of these use VPN capacity, and the quality of the video conference meeting/streaming service will be poorer if you’re still logged on to the VPN network.

From 12 March 12:00 pm

AU’s VPN network is seeing unusually heavy traffic. We ask everyone not to log onto AU’s systems via VPN unless absolutely necessary.

We would also like to ask users to remember to log off when they are finished using the connection. If you need to connect to AU’s systems again later, connect to the VPN network again.

We ask AU students not to use the VPN for the time being.

AU IT is working to increase the capacity of the VPN network so that these restrictions won’t be necessary. When the capacity increase has been completed, we will inform you.