---
name: "openvpn3-systemd"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "openvpn3-client"
version: "24.1+dfsg-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/openvpn3-systemd"
---

# openvpn3-systemd(8)

OpenVPN 3 Linux - systemd service integration

## NAME

openvpn3-systemd - OpenVPN 3 Linux - systemd service integration

## SYNOPSIS

```
openvpn3-systemd [OPTIONS] CONFIG_PROFILE
openvpn3-systemd -h | --help
```

## DESCRIPTION

This is a helper script used by the **openvpn3-session@.service** unit file, which is responsible for running a single VPN session and retrieve log events and related signals to the session.  These signals are also used to update systemd with the appropriate status.

Using the **openvpn3-session@.service** requires the VPN configuration profile to be imported in advance, using **openvpn3 config-import**, preferably as a persistent configuration to allow starting VPN sessions during boot.

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Print  usage and help details to the terminal

- **--start**

  Start a new VPN session with the given configuration profile name.

- **--restart**

  Restarts a currently running VPN session with the given configuration profile name.

- **--stop**

  Stops a currently running VPN session with the given configuration profile name.

- **--log-level** *LEVEL*

  Sets the log verbosity for the log events.  Valid values are **0** to **6**.  The higher value, the more verbose the log events will be.  Log level **6** will include all debug events.  Default is **5**.

## EXAMPLE

First a configuration profile is imported as a persistent profile:

```
# openvpn3 config-import --persistent --name example --config client.ovpn
```

Start a VPN session via [**systemctl**(1)](/systemctl/1.md):

```
# systemctl start openvpn3-session@example
```

Check the logs for this session:

```
# journalctl --since today --unit openvpn3-session@example
```

## KNOWN ISSUES

Currently the **openvpn3-systemd** helper does not support configuration profiles requiring any type of user authentication outside of X.509 certificates.

## SEE ALSO

[**openvpn3-config-import**(1)](/openvpn3-config-import/1.md) [**openvpn3-config-acl**(1)](/openvpn3-config-acl/1.md) [**openvpn3-linux**(7)](/openvpn3-linux/7.md)