Hosted VPN and TAK, without the hardware queue
Why tactical teams and forward-deployed units are moving TrellisWare L2VPN, Silvus IPSec tunnels, and TAK Servers off localized hardware toward dynamic cloud orchestration.
Beyond the server room
Deploying secure communication nodes—whether TrellisWare L2VPN, Silvus IPSec tunnels, or TAK Servers—used to mean local hardware, static ISP leases, environmental controls, and a team watching cooling and connectivity. When that circuit drops, the mission network goes dark.
Hosting with Slate changes the model. Nodes run on a managed Google Cloud backbone with redundant power, carrier-grade bandwidth, and DDoS protection at the network edge. The same placement workflow covers every product in the catalogue as new vendors are added.
Global reach at tactical speed
Physical nodes require procurement, shipping, installation, and hours of OS work before the first client can connect. Redeploy the team and latency back to the home server becomes a liability.
Distance is no longer the constraint. A hardened VPN or TAK node can be requested in any of Google Cloud's 35+ global regions so operators in Europe, the Americas, or Asia-Pacific connect to an edge gateway next to them.
One platform, multiple vendors
Local servers mean kernel patches, firewall logs, NAT, and PKI for issuing and revoking certificates—plus a separate runbook for each radio vendor and for TAK. That work competes with the mission.
Slate commoditizes the security and placement layer. Firewalls stay on Google Cloud software-defined networking. Endpoints default to TLS 1.2+ and AES-256-GCM where the protocol allows. Certificate or client enrollment is part of the hosted workflow instead of a custom crypto runbook for each vendor.
One place to command the node
Operating local VPN and TAK servers usually means terminal windows, scattered logs, and SSH just to see who is on the network. The hosted service is designed around a single operational view as those consoles come online.
Live connection awareness
See who is attached to a VPN edge or TAK Server without grepping logs by hand.
Instant remediation
Revoke a compromised client globally instead of rebuilding the box.
Straightforward scale
Request additional VPN or TAK nodes in other regions when capacity, vendor, or geography changes.