Quick Start with docker-compose

• Add a new service in docker-compose.yml

version: '2'
services:
  openvpn:
    cap_add:
     - NET_ADMIN
    image: kylemanna/openvpn
    container_name: openvpn
    ports:
     - "1194:1194/udp"
    restart: always
    volumes:
     - ./openvpn-data/conf:/etc/openvpn

• Initialize the configuration files and certificates

docker-compose run --rm openvpn ovpn_genconfig -u udp://VPN.SERVERNAME.COM
docker-compose run --rm openvpn ovpn_initpki

• Fix ownership (depending on how to handle your backups, this may not be needed)

sudo chown -R $(whoami): ./openvpn-data

• Start OpenVPN server process

docker-compose up -d openvpn

• You can access the container logs with

docker-compose logs -f

• Generate a client certificate

export CLIENTNAME="your_client_name"
# with a passphrase (recommended)
docker-compose run --rm openvpn easyrsa build-client-full $CLIENTNAME
# without a passphrase (not recommended)
docker-compose run --rm openvpn easyrsa build-client-full $CLIENTNAME nopass

• Retrieve the client configuration with embedded certificates

docker-compose run --rm openvpn ovpn_getclient $CLIENTNAME > $CLIENTNAME.ovpn

• Revoke a client certificate

# Keep the corresponding crt, key and req files.
docker-compose run --rm openvpn ovpn_revokeclient $CLIENTNAME
# Remove the corresponding crt, key and req files.
docker-compose run --rm openvpn ovpn_revokeclient $CLIENTNAME remove

Debugging Tips

• Create an environment variable with the name DEBUG and value of 1 to enable debug output (using “docker -e”).

docker-compose run -e DEBUG=1 openvpn