Connecting to VPN

Intended Audience: Students, Faculty, and Staff

Summary

The VPN provides authorized employees with secure access to PVAMU resources when working remotely. This guide outlines who can use the VPN, how to request access, and where to find instructions for connecting and downloading the Cisco AnyConnect client.

Problem

Many PVAMU employees need access to secure systems such as Banner, shared drives, or internal applications when working off-campus. Without a VPN connection:

• A staff member working from home may not be able to retrieve critical documents from a network drive.

• A faculty member traveling for a conference may lose access to Banner or research data stored on PVAMU’s servers.

• An employee assisting after hours may not be able to troubleshoot or support university systems.

The VPN resolves these issues by creating a secure, encrypted pathway into PVAMU’s internal network.

Solution

Employees who need off-campus access can request VPN privileges. Once approved, they can connect using the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client and authenticate with their PVAMU credentials through Azure SSO.

Steps

Who Can Connect to the VPN?

Before connecting, it’s important to know who is eligible. Only authorized individuals may use the VPN. If you do not yet have access, you must request it.

• Complete the Remote Access/VPN Request Form:
  PVAMU ITS Service Request Form

• This form is also available on the PVAMU ITS Forms page.

How to Connect to the VPN

Once you have VPN approval, you can log in using Cisco AnyConnect. The process is simple but requires you to follow the official guide for accuracy.

1. Review the step-by-step instructions here:
   Logging into VPN (PDF)

2. PVAMU uses Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client with Azure SSO authentication.

3. Enter your PVAMU username and password when prompted to sign in.

How to Download Cisco AnyConnect

If Cisco AnyConnect is not yet installed on your device, you will need to download it first.

• Go to https://vpn.pvamu.edu.

• Follow the prompts to install the VPN client for your operating system (Windows or Mac).

Additional Resources

• PVAMU ITS Forms

• Logging into VPN Instructions (PDF)

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Prairie View A&M University is dedicated to improving the way we serve students, faculty, and staff. If you have suggestions on how we can make this article clearer, more helpful, or easier to follow, we welcome your comments. Your feedback helps us enhance our Knowledge Base and provide better support to the Panther community.