Working with Access Server's Configuration Database⁠

Default configuration file locations⁠

These are the default configuration file locations:

• Global server configuration: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/config.db

• Server and client certificates: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/certs.db

• User and group properties: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/userprop.db

• Log database: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/log.db

• Debug and low level settings: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/as.conf

• Local server node configuration: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/config_local.db

• Cluster configuration: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/cluster.db

• Cluster notification system: /usr/local/openvpn_as/etc/db/notification.db

If you're running Access Server on a Docker container, refer to Tutorial: How to Back Up Access Server Configuration on Docker.

How to view the current server configuration⁠

You can list your current server's configuration, user and group properties, and specific properties for users and groups with the command-line tool sacli.

• Tutorial: How to View the Current Server Configuration

Configuration for authentication modes⁠

The user configuration is stored differently depending on your authentication mode. This tutorial helps you determine where to find user and group properties.

• Tutorial: Finding the User Configuration for Authentication Modes

Back Up Access Server's Configuration⁠

It's a security best practice to create regular backups of your configuration. We also recommend it before upgrading or migrating to a new server. Follow this tutorial to create backups of your SQLite 3 database files.

• Tutorial: How to Back Up Access Server Configuration

Recover Access Server with backup files⁠

Should you need to recover an Access Server from a backup point or migrate to a new server, refer to this tutorial for the commands to restore from backup files:

• Tutorial: How to Recover a Server with SQLite3 Dump Backup Files

Recover damaged database configuration files⁠

Suppose your Access Server uses the default SQLite3 database files on a single node, and they've become managed. Refer to our troubleshooting page:

• Repair Configuration Database SQLite3 Files

Use ConfigReplace for manual configuration edits⁠

Access Server supports a command, ConfigReplace, which allows you to upload configuration changes in one file, and Access Server imports those changes to the correct configuration files.

• Tutorial: Manually Edit Access Server Configuration Using ConfigReplace

Change the database backend⁠

Access Server can store configuration in MySQL-type database systems such as Amazon RDS, MySQL, and MariaDB.

You can follow one of the below tutorials to switch to a database server using the Admin Web UI or the command line:

• Tutorial: Change the Database Backend to MySQL or Amazon RDS with the Admin Web UI

• Tutorial: Manually Change the Database Backend to MySQL or Amazon RDS from the Command Line

OS vs RDBMS Compatibility (Access Server 3.2.x)⁠

Compatibility validated against representative patch releases within each version family.

Some RHEL releases shipped with MariaDB C and ODBC connector builds that exhibited compatibility issues. These have been resolved through subsequent updates or documented configuration adjustments. Refer to the MariaDB connector documentation for version-specific details.

Manually change the database backend to a relational database such as MySQL or RDS⁠

Access Server can store configuration in MySQL-type database systems such as Amazon RDS, MySQL, and MariaDB.

By default, Access Server creates configuration files in a SQLite3 database on the server. This tutorial shows you how to convert to a separate database server.

• Tutorial: Manually Change the Database Backend to MySQL or Amazon RDS from the Command Line

Set up an SSL connection to MySQL or AWS RDS⁠

Refer to this tutorial for how to make an encrypted connection to MySQL or AWS RDS servers.

• Tutorial: Set up an SSL Connection to MySQL or AWS RDS

Reset Access Server's configuration⁠

To reset Access Server to a clean slate, use the ovpn-init tool.

If you need a quick command reference, you can run:

ovpn-init --help

Active fixed license keys remain on the server. Since these are single-activation licenses (unlike subscription licenses), they aren't removed when the configuration is wiped.

After running this command, Access Server returns to an uninitialized state. The setup wizard runs again the next time you connect to the server terminal.