Anyconnect - Start VPN Before Windows Login

[JayBen]

If I am successful starting VPN before WIndows Login, which is a big IF since the VPN servers are overtaxed these days, Anyconnect doesn't provide positive affirmation that I was successful starting VPN.  It is difficult to tell the difference between Anyconnect timing out, and VPN successfully starting.  The only hint that I might have been successful is that when I click on the connect boxes in the bottom right, it doesn't bring up the AnyConnect start box, but instead reverts back to the Windows Login box.  It isn't very obvious what is happening.

I shouldn't have to focus so much on the steps to connect to VPN.   Please provide positive confirmation that VPN was successfully started!

[marce1000]

 - Check if this thread is useful :

       https://community.cisco.com/t5/vpn/anyconnect-to-connect-before-user-login/td-p/3821623

 M.

[Aref Alsouqi]

If you don't see AnyConnect window popping up when you click the connect button, I would say it is not working. You can easily verify this on the firewall using the command sh vpn-sessiondb anyconnect.

[JayBen]

I don't think you understand my question.  I am able to Start VPN before windows login some of the time, but our VPN servers are often busy, and it can take a long time.  At the end of the wait, I don't know if I was successful activating the adapter.  Sometimes the activation process times out instead. 

I see the AnyConnect window with my VPN server and alternate VPN server.  I click to connect to VPN.  Anyconnect asks for my certificate PIN.  A number of processes run, including a posture assessment, hosts scan, and a security notice.    Eventually I get a notice that VPN is "Connecting, Please Wait".   If everything works, "Activating VPN Adapter" briefly flashes on the screen.  But most of the time, the connecting process times out, and expects me to restart the connection process.

But here's the thing: unless I focus all my attention on the AnyConnect box all the time (and don't blink), I don't see the "Activating VPN Adapter" message because it flashes so briefly, and AnyConnect doesn't alert me that I was successful.  It looks like I timed out.  

I can tell indirectly that I was successful by starting the VPN connection process all over again, because it kicks me back to the windows login.  But that is annoying and a huge waste of time.

Why can't AnyConnect provide a positive, lasting, and obvious indication that the VPN adapter is successfully activated?

[Aref Alsouqi]

Thanks for clarifying this. I've never came across this scenario before, but thought maybe you can disable minimize AnyConnect option on the user profile, so you can see the connection status on AnyConnect window?

[JayBen]

I tried disabling the minimize AnyConnect Option, but it had no effect.  It only minimizes the AnyConnect Window in WIndows.