Resolving VPN Connection Status Issue for Windows Server 2012
Question
You are using a Windows Server 2012 in your on-premises location as a customer gateway.
You've set up the Virtual Private gateway and the VPN connection.
You have also set up the VPN configuration on the Windows Server 2012 machine.
But when you check the status of the tunnel in the AWS Console, it still shows as down.
What needs to be done to ensure that the connection is up and active?
Answers
Explanations
Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer
A. B. C. D.Answer - A.
This is also given in the AWS Documentation.
You have to initiate a request from the Customer gateway device.
Step 6: Test the VPN Connection.
"To test that the VPN connection is working correctly, launch an instance into your VPC, and ensure that it does not have an Internet connection.
After you've launched the instance, ping its private IP address from your Windows server.
The VPN tunnel comes up when traffic is generated from the customer gateway.
Therefore the ping command also initiates the VPN connection".
Options B and C are invalid because no such options are available.
Option D is invalid because this is not the right setup.
For more information on setting up Windows Server 2012 as the customer gateway, please refer to the below URL:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonVPC/latest/NetworkAdminGuide/customer-gateway-windows-2012.htmlTo ensure that the VPN connection is up and active, you should choose option B: From the AWS Console, choose the VPN connection, choose Actions -> Bring up tunnel.
Here's why:
When you set up a VPN connection between your on-premises location and your Amazon VPC, there are two endpoints: the customer gateway (which is the device on your network that connects to the AWS VPN endpoint) and the virtual private gateway (which is the AWS-side VPN endpoint). The VPN tunnel is established between these two endpoints, and traffic flows through the tunnel between your network and the VPC.
In this scenario, you've set up the VPN connection and the VPN configuration on the Windows Server 2012 machine, which is acting as the customer gateway. However, when you check the status of the tunnel in the AWS Console, it still shows as down. This indicates that there is a problem with the connection.
Option A (issuing a ping command from the Windows Server 2012 device) may help you troubleshoot the problem, but it won't necessarily bring the tunnel up if there is a configuration issue.
Option C (bringing up the tunnel from the Virtual Private gateway) is not the correct option in this scenario because the issue is with the customer gateway, not the AWS-side VPN endpoint.
Option D (ensuring BGP routing protocol is set up on the Windows Server 2012 device) is important for establishing dynamic routing between your on-premises network and the VPC, but it's not necessary for bringing up the VPN tunnel. You can use static routes instead.
Therefore, the correct option is to choose the VPN connection in the AWS Console and select "Actions -> Bring up tunnel". This will attempt to bring up the tunnel and display any errors or configuration issues that need to be addressed.
