eduVPN
Updates on remote access to electronic resources available in the University network
The new official service for accessing bibliographic resources available on the University network is eduVPN, which offers both security and ease of use. Auth-proxy and Proxy Docile services will be gradually phased out and no longer supported. We invite all users to switch to eduVPN.
The University Library System provides the eduVPN service to institutional users of the University of Padua for accessing electronic journals, databases, and e-books from outside the University network, both from Italy and abroad.
Using eduVPN when browsing publishers' websites, you are recognised as if you were connecting directly from the University network, thus gaining access to available content.
Who can access
The service is reserved for institutional users who have activated their @unipd.it or @studenti.unipd.it email account. It is not available for guest users, even if they own a University Library System Guest User Card.
The University Library System resources must be consulted in compliance with the Use Policy for Electronic Resources. If these conditions are violated, publishers may block access for the entire University user community. Browsing history is stored in accordance with current personal data protection regulations; in case of misconduct and legal disputes raised by publishers, it is possible to trace the account responsible for the violations.
How to use eduVPN
To access the service, download the dedicated application and configure it with your institutional credentials, following the instructions available for your operating system. The process is quick and simple, and allows you to connect in just a few clicks, wherever you are.
Configure eduVPN on your device
- Microsoft Windows
- Apple MacOS (10.15 "Catalina" e successive)
- Linux
- Android
- Apple iOS (iPad e iPhone)
Which resources can be accessed
All resources acquired in perpetuity or by subscription are accessible via eduVPN: e-books, e-journals, and databases.
Services provided through software contracts signed by the University's Information Technology and Telecommunications Services Area (ASIT) (ITA) are also accessible.
Note: only services accessible via HTTP and HTTPS protocols (ports 80 and 443) are available.
The following resources cannot be accessed with eduVPN:
- those that can only be accessed with Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication
- those that are only available on departmental subnets or specific IP addresses
- those that can only be accessed with local credentials provided by the library
If you encounter any access problems with an electronic resource, please get in touch with the Library Helpline.
How it works
eduVPN configures a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which is a virtual network infrastructure that establishes an encrypted connection between the user's device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) and the University of Padua's eduVPN server through the Internet. The implementation of a VPN ensures the encryption of all data in transit and allows access to the University network.
About eduVPN
eduVPN, launched as a project by the Dutch research network SURF in 2015, is part of the GÉANT project (GN4-3), co-funded by the European Union, and the program of the non-profit organisation The Commons Conservancy.
eduVPN is coordinated at the European level by GÉANT, the European research network, which supports and promotes the service to ensure high security and privacy standards for the entire European academic community. Within the international community, the service has spread widely to over twenty countries; in Italy, it is supported by the GARR Consortium.