Client Side

Because Pritunl speaks the OpenVPN protocol, it seems superfluous to offer special client tools for mainstream operating systems. However, that is the case, and for an elegant reason. The Pritunl server can output the complete configuration files for individual VPN users at the push of a button. With the use of a Pritunl client, when a user is emailed a Pritunl configuration for a mobile device (e.g., a Chromebook), the client can immediately open it and start using the VPN. The Pritunl server itself organizes delivery of configurations by email, although you need the $50 per month Enterprise subscription.

The list of supported operating systems on the client side is worthy of note. For all Linux systems that can operate the server, the same repositories have packages for the Pritunl client. A separate installer for OS X takes Pritunl to Apple devices (Figure 2), and Windows machines have a special installation routine.

Figure 2: A native Pritunl client exists for OS X, Linux, and Windows.

When it comes to Pritunl packages for mobile operating systems – Android or iOS – compatibility with the OpenVPN protocol is key. For example, the VPN Connect [3] program is an excellent choice for Pritunl server connections on mobile devices by Apple or with Google's Android (Figure 3).

Figure 3: If you use Android or iOS, you can open a connection with OpenVPN Connect, which is available for both operating systems.

The developers seem to be particularly fond of Google's Chromebook with Chrome OS: The Pritunl server web interface delivers a VPN profile that is compatible with Chrome OS at the push of a button. An additional Pritunl client for the Chromebook is thus unnecessary because Chrome OS's built-in tools will do the trick.

From an administrative point of view, it makes sense to take a closer look at the Configuration Sync feature, which makes it possible to transfer changes in the configuration of a VPN connection automatically to the connecting clients. For this to happen, the VPN client needs to be an original Pritunl client, but on the upside, it removes the need for manual configuration of the VPN connections.

Pricing Model

Pritunl offers all of its software free of charge for downloading. But, to be able to use all of the VPN server's functionality, you need a subscription, which is based on regular payments. The manufacturer decided on a model with three levels:

• The Free program is available without charge, but it doesn't actually offer any exciting new functions. Multi-data center setups are not supported, for example. Many features in the Pritunl web interface are grayed out, but at least the number of simultaneous connections to the clients (i.e., the users and devices) is not restricted.
• The Premium version is yours if you can spare $10 a month. This subscription contains the functionality of the Free edition and supports gateway links, with which VPN servers can forward traffic from the local network to the VPN client. This version also lets you download VPN profiles for Chrome OS and adds the ability for the server to email details of its configuration to configured users. The additional themes for the web interface is just window dressing.
• The Enterprise variant is genuinely interesting: It contains all of the features offered by the lower-level packages along with genuinely practical features, such as site-to-site VPNs or VPN bridge mode, in which a VPN client becomes a direct part of the local network. At $50 a month, this is something that enterprises can probably afford, although the asking price might hurt private users. This package also includes automatic configuration of DNS names for VPN clients, as well as a single sign-on module for Google or Duo Security. On top of this, you can receive support directly from the authors in the form of a live chat. If you decide to operate under the Enterprise subscription for a long period of time, the Pritunl authors off a discount in the form of a long-term agreement.

By the way, if you want to try out Pritunl, you don't have to do so on bare metal. In their documentation, the Pritunl developers indicate that you can try out the features in the scope of Amazon's AWS Cloud.

The vendor also has matching Pritunl packages for Amazon's Linux, so there's nothing to prevent you from setting up your own tests without additional hardware. If you want to test the Enterprise features, the vendor offers an evaluation license.

Conclusions

In terms of technology, the solution offers many innovative approaches in numerous functions that are simply impossible with OpenVPN alone, including the use of single sign-on and setups that make it easy to configure and connect multiple data centers. On top of this, Pritunl can be set up far more quickly than an OpenVPN server, or even an IPsec server.

The web interface also removes the need for administrators to search for specific features in bulky configuration files; instead, you can simply click to enable whatever you want the Pritunl server to do. On the client side, the solution benefits from its ability to use the OpenVPN protocol, which means that even sites without a Pritunl client can open their VPN connection using an appropriate app.

The pricing model, though, leaves a sour taste. During the evaluation, the difference between private users and Enterprise customers became quite apparent. Although enterprises are unlikely to be fazed by $50 per month, for end users, it could be a problem. Moreover, the enterprise features are not meaningfully distributed: the single sign-on function is something that private users would probably use regularly, as is the mode for connecting a VPN client to the local network via a bridge.

A slightly cheaper enterprise subscription specially designed for end users would thus be a good idea. If the pricing model remains unchanged, users are likely to keep opting for the original OpenVPN for home use.

Finally, if you consciously choose free software, reading the Pritunl license is very likely to give you a bad headache.