VPN Light is being phased out – this applies going forward
The IT Office has decided to phase out and discontinue the VPN Light service, which has been available for computers outside the central client service Karyon. The decision is part of KI's efforts to strengthen security within our IT infrastructure and is effective immediately. The service will be completely phased out on 31 May 2026.
Why is VPN Light being discontinued?
VPN Light has been a temporary solution since the previous VPN service, Cisco Anyconnect, was phased out, while several departments were still waiting to be connected to Coordinated IT. In 2026, all institutions will be part of Coordinated IT, where a centralised and secure client, Karyon, with advanced security features and VPN access, is available as standard.
Allowing unauthorised and unknown devices to connect to KI's internal network and resources poses significant security risks, and since secure alternatives are available for the entire organisation, these risks are no longer acceptable.
What applies now?
- No new user accounts of VPN Light will be created.
- All departments that are part of Coordinated IT must use the managed client service Karyon and its VPN functionality for remote connection.
- Users within Coordinated IT who have registered as users will be removed from the VPN Light service. If you are a user, you will receive an email with more detailed information.
- VPN Light can no longer be used from KI's lab network.
- VPN Light only provides access to a predefined list of services.
- The service will be completely shut down on 31 May 2026.
What do you need to do?
If you currently use VPN Light and belong to a department within Coordinated IT, you should instead use the Karyon client for a secure remote connection via VPN.
Support consultant accounts
If your organisation has external consultants with support consultant accounts with VPN Light access, you need to inform ITA of the consultant's needs and which systems or IT solutions the consultant helps to support, so that the right solution can be proposed for the specific needs.
You can do this by creating a case ticket in KI Self Service.
FAQ
I belong to a Coordinated IT institution and have a VPN Light account. When will I lose my VPN access?
You can continue to use VPN via your Karyon client; it is only the VPN Light service that will be discontinued in its entirety on 31 May 2026.
Until then, ITA will gradually delete existing accounts in the service. All registered users will be contacted by email with more information.
Which systems do I need to use a VPN for to work remotely?
Here you will find a description of which solutions require VPN: KI-VPN
I don't have a Karyon computer, what should I do?
If you work at KI (as an employee or affiliate), you must use a Karyon computer when working with KI's IT solutions and information. You can read more about how to order a Karyon client here: KI Karyon client
VDI is a solution for those who do not need a physical computer client.
I am affiliated and work on a project folder (P:\) that I access via VPN Light from my regional computer/private computer/another employer's computer – how should I proceed?
If you work at KI and conduct research, you must have a Karyon client (or VDI) to work with KI's information and IT solutions.
If you only need temporary access to specific information, there are file sharing services that other group members can use to securely share information with you.
I have a supplier who needs to update equipment/instruments in our lab. How can this be done without VPN Light?
Please return to ITA with a description of your requirements, the supplier involved, the internal solutions concerned, etc., and we will suggest a suitable solution. The easiest way to do this is to submit a case ticket in KI Self Service.
Contact
Please contact Helpdesk if you need assistance with the transition or have any questions about Karyon.