Using VPN to edit your site

Why use VPN when editing your site

When working on your HarvardSites Drupal site, we recommend connecting through Harvard’s Virtual Private Network (VPN). Connecting to Harvard’s VPN before you log in makes admin tasks smoother and more secure. It gives your computer a Harvard network identity, which helps you reach internal tools, avoid security roadblocks, and streamline troubleshooting. 

Your visitors don’t need the VPN—this is just for site administrators. HarvardSites already recommends connecting to VPN before logging in.

Why VPN helps

  • Our platform sits behind a web application firewall (WAF) and a content delivery network (CDN) that protect Harvard sites from bots and attacks.
  • When you’re on VPN, your traffic looks like it’s coming from the Harvard’s network, which reduces the chance of extra challenges that sometimes appear on off-campus networks.
  • Connecting to VPN also makes it easier for the service desk to troubleshoot any issue.

Note: VPN is not required for the public to view your site. It only affects your administrative connection.

Quick start: connect to VPN, then log in

  1. Connect to Harvard VPN.
  2. Go to your HarvardSites Drupal site and select Admin login in the footer; log in with HarvardKey.
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