How REDspace Uses Access Server for Secure VPN Access With Active Directory Integration | OpenVPN Blog

When your clients are some of the biggest names in media and entertainment, you need a VPN solution that delivers both security and flexibility. REDspace, a full-service digital studio based in Nova Scotia, creates innovative web, mobile, gaming, and video solutions for clients around the world. With a growing team of 200 employees and a steady flow of sensitive data, they needed a VPN solution that could keep up — and scale smartly.

The challenge: secure access without oversight gaps

For several years, REDspace relied on a Windows-based VPN server solution. While it offered a basic level of secure remote access, it quickly proved to be too limited for the company’s evolving needs. The biggest limitation? It couldn’t integrate with REDspace’s Active Directory.

Without AD integration, the IT team lacked an efficient way to manage individual users across their large and diverse team. The previous solution also lacked customization options and made it difficult to enforce security policies by user or group. With security and scalability top of mind, REDspace set out to find a new solution that checked three critical boxes:

• Customizable configuration.
• Active Directory integration.
• Oversight capabilities for user access.

The solution: flexible control with Access Server

After evaluating alternatives, REDspace chose Access Server — a secure, cost-effective business VPN solution that is customizable, integratable, and provides oversight capabilities. 

Access Server gave REDspace the flexibility they needed, plus seamless LDAP integration for Active Directory.

With Access Server, REDspace can now:

• Encrypt with SSL to ensure a secure link between Access Server and the Active Directory server.
• Configure access rules for different Active Directory groups (e.g., only allow one AD group to use the VPN while other groups are blocked).
• Limit VPN access to specific Active Directory users.

The Access Server platform also enables REDspace to assign precise user-level permissions and enforce the principle of least privilege — ensuring employees can access only what they need to do their jobs. That level of control not only strengthens security but also reduces the margin of error across the organization.

The result: secure access, simplified management

With Access Server in place, REDspace now delivers secure remote access to its internal services without sacrificing control. The IT team can view and manage user activity with ease, and the company can confidently support its clients knowing that its data is protected and access is tightly controlled.

🎥 See REDspace share their story in this short video: