Company: Solwr
Headquarters: Ålesund, Norway
Industry: Software Development – Logistics
Challenges:
- Fortinet VPN was unreliable, with newer versions failing on updated operating systems.
- OpenVPN 2 lacked domain-based split tunneling, a requirement for working with Azure.
- OpenVPN 3 had a client that was difficult to deploy consistently across all machines.
- No support for advanced ACL rules based on multiple identity groups.
Key Results:
- Fast migration from two legacy VPN services with minimal disruption.
- Simplified access control through IdP integration with multi-group ACL rules.
- Positive user adoption, with even the most skeptical users praising ease of use.
- Rapid bug resolution, with fixes released within days of being reported.
Technologies Used: On-site, Site-to-Site, Azure, Terraform, NetBird API
The Challenge: Two VPNs, Neither Fit for Purpose
Solwr is one of Norway's leading logistics technology companies. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Ålesund, the company provides software and warehouse automation solutions for the trade industry. Approximately one-third of all groceries in Norway pass through systems built by Solwr.
To support their distributed infrastructure and remote workforce, Solwr relied on two separate VPN services: Fortinet and OpenVPN. Neither solution was meeting the team's needs.
Fortinet's VPN client was plagued by bugs. Newer versions of the software failed to work on updated operating systems, creating constant friction for engineers and IT staff. OpenVPN presented its own set of problems. Version 2 lacked support for domain-based split tunneling, a critical requirement for teams working with Azure and similar cloud services. Version 3 introduced a client that proved difficult to install and maintain across the full range of employee machines.
Beyond reliability, both solutions fell short on access management. There was no way to configure advanced access control lists based on multiple identity groups, forcing the team to manage permissions at the individual level rather than through scalable, policy-driven rules.
The Solution: Identity-Driven Access with DNS Split Tunnelling
Solwr adopted NetBird as a direct replacement for both legacy VPN services. The migration was straightforward, and the time required to transition was minimal.
NetBird's identity provider integration was a key factor in the decision. Rather than managing access per user, Solwr now defines ACL rules based on multiple IdP groups. This approach aligns access control with the organization's existing identity structure, making it both easier to manage and more secure.
DNS-based split tunneling solved the Azure connectivity challenge that OpenVPN 2 could not address. Teams working with cloud services no longer need to route all traffic through a central gateway, improving both performance and flexibility.
Solwr also leverages NetBird's Terraform provider and API to manage their network configuration as code. This fits naturally into their existing infrastructure automation workflows, reducing manual operations and ensuring consistent, auditable configuration across environments.
The Results: Happy Users and Responsive Support
The impact of switching to NetBird was felt immediately across the organization.
User adoption exceeded expectations. Even team members who were initially resistant to change praised how easy NetBird was to use compared to the previous VPN solutions. The simplified client installation and seamless connectivity removed the daily friction that had become routine under Fortinet and OpenVPN.
"NetBird has been amazing to work with. The support has been incredible and when we found a bug it was fixed and released just after some days."
— Stian Giskeødegård, Lead DevSecOps at Solwr
Conclusion
By replacing two underperforming VPN solutions with NetBird, Solwr eliminated persistent connectivity issues, gained powerful identity-driven access control, and brought their network management into their infrastructure-as-code workflow.
The combination of IdP-based ACL rules, DNS split tunneling, and Terraform support gives Solwr a networking foundation that scales with their business, without the operational burden of legacy VPN infrastructure.
"NetBird has been amazing to implement and the team has been a blast to work with. The fact that it also has API and Terraform support is incredible and it has made our life so much easier."
— Stian Giskeødegård, Lead DevSecOps at Solwr