Software:Cloudvpn

cloudvpn

Original author(s)	Mirek Kratochvíl
Initial release	December 2008
Stable release	1.99.8 / August 3, 2009 (2009-08-03)
Platform	Cross-platform
Type	VPN
License	GNU GPLv3
Website	[1]

Cloudvpn is an open-source, mesh-networking capable communication tool. It differentiates itself from other VPNs by serving as a generic transport layer for any packet-based data traffic, which can include traditional VPN purposes, but is easily extensible to any other kind of traffic.

Capabilities

Cloudvpn tries to establish a decentralized transport network, routing through which is done using an optimized DVR-like algorithm. This gives the "cloud" of nodes a great potential, allowing simple failover of connections and traffic route optimalization.

All transported traffic is encrypted, giving the peers some security against eavesdropping and related attacks. Communication peers, on the other side, aren't secured from attacks from themselves - one node can usually see and read all traffic coming through it, if the traffic isn't secured or encrypted on some higher level. Peers are therefore needed to trust each other.

Cloudvpn is designed as a set of tools. Every node runs a 'cloud' program, which provides an encrypted connection and mesh routing capabilities, and then attaches various other 'mesh clients', that communicate using the pre-created network. For example, 'ether' tool creates a virtual Ethernet interface and routes its traffic through the mesh, giving the transport Ethernet-VPN capabilities.

Development

Other mesh clients are yet in development, WASTE-like features (instant messaging, chat rooms, and file browsing/sharing) are planned.

The project appears to have ceased in 2009, however.