Secure and High-Performance Access from Overseas Offices Using AWS Client VPN

       Date Published：28 JUL 2020

Saki Corporation (hereafter, “Saki”), which designs, manufactures, sells, and supports automatic visual inspection machines and X-ray automatic inspection machines, has sales offices and factories in Europe, China, the Americas, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Korea, and Taiwan.

For a company like Saki, which has numerous overseas locations, ease of access to the information systems used at its headquarters is crucial. However, there were several challenges in continuing to provide sufficient support for the varying environments at each overseas office.

One of these challenges was VPN access. Saki connected its headquarters and domestic factories via a wide-area VPN provided by a network vendor, but overseas offices were connected using a dedicated VPN application.

Some of Saki’s overseas offices operated as home offices, leading to diverse network access environments. In cases where VPN connection issues occurred at these overseas offices, identifying whether the problem was with the application or the local router, and then resolving the issue, required significant effort and time.

The solution to these connectivity issues from overseas offices was AWS Client VPN, which is highly versatile and functional and can accommodate various locations. AWS Client VPN is a managed VPN service using AWS’s OpenVPN-based VPN client, perfectly matching Saki’s needs.

We spoke with Mr. Norito Sasaki, Manager of the Information Systems Division at Saki, to learn how they solved these challenges using AWS Client VPN.

AWS Client VPN Proposed for Access Issues

Initially, Sasaki considered using Amazon WorkSpaces, which had gained attention for telework purposes during the spread of COVID-19, to resolve VPN issues and reduce the hassle of PC setup for employees stationed at overseas offices. However, after consulting with Classmethod engineers, who focused on the network, they proposed AWS Client VPN as a way to improve access from overseas offices to the headquarters’ systems.

Sasaki did not initially consider using AWS Client VPN. Although he consulted with several companies, he chose Classmethod due to their quick response and the proposal they provided for addressing the issues at the overseas offices.

Connecting Overseas Clients to Existing VPN Environments via AWS Direct Connect Gateway

In general, when establishing a VPN connection between two offices, the shorter the distance of the internet connection and the longer the distance covered by a dedicated line, the better the response speed—similar to how using highways for most of a car journey reduces travel time.

In this case, by connecting to a Client VPN Endpoint close to each office via the internet and then using AWS’s dedicated lines, they were able to achieve cost-effective performance.

AWS, with its global data centers, also offers dedicated line connections worldwide. In this case, the London endpoint was used for the European office, and the Tokyo endpoint for East Asia. By aggregating VPN connections from each office into AWS Direct Connect Gateway, they were able to connect to the existing wide-area VPN environment.

It took about a month from placing the order with Classmethod to complete the construction, with two weeks dedicated to adjustments on the wide-area VPN side. Despite starting work just before the Golden Week holiday, the VPN environment was released in early June.

“Saki values speed in business. I’m impatient, so slow responses can be stressful, but Classmethod was quick in both sales and technical responses, allowing us to proceed rapidly. They not only understood AWS but also provided advice even in areas not strictly within the scope of our request, such as services related to Direct Connect. The process from network connection to client environment implementation went smoothly without withholding technical information.” (Mr. Sasaki)

Smooth Use Even for Domestic Users in Remote Work Environments

The rollout of AWS Client VPN to overseas offices started in regions where the existing VPN environment was not performing well, and users have positively reviewed the performance.

“The AWS Client VPN environment is currently deployed in Europe and China, and we plan to expand its use in our Latin American offices. We’ve received feedback from EU users that it’s faster. We provided installation instructions via email, and there were no reports of issues. It was easy to use, which was great.” (Mr. Sasaki)

Additionally, due to the increase in employees working remotely to prevent COVID-19 infections, domestic VPN usage has also increased. Employees’ home network environments vary greatly, and some had issues with the existing VPN client software. However, applying AWS Client VPN in these cases worked well, according to Mr. Sasaki.

The plan is to continue using AWS Client VPN based on the needs of overseas staff, as well as for Japan.

Cloud Strength in Securing Resources When Needed

The drastic changes in the business environment due to COVID-19 prompted a reconsideration of IT resource preparedness.

“We don’t know what the future holds regarding the impact of COVID-19 in 2020. It may fade away, but pandemics and disasters often strike when least expected. Preparing by fixing assets in advance could lead to them becoming obsolete when needed. By leveraging AWS’s scalable services, we can access the necessary resources when needed.” (Mr. Sasaki)

The cloud is the ideal solution for setting up systems to secure resources as needed. Classmethod continually stays up to date on the latest cloud service information, including AWS, and provides optimal solutions for its customers.