Exposed origins are targets.
Public IP addresses give attackers a direct path to bypass CDN and WAF protections
Inbound firewall rules create maintenance overhead and misconfiguration risks
VPN-based access to internal tools adds latency and frustrates developers
Hybrid cloud environments need secure, performant connectivity between data centers and cloud
Outbound-only connectivity from your infrastructure.
Tunnel deployment
Lightweight cloudflared daemon creates outbound-only connections to Cloudflare's edge. Your origin servers become invisible to the internet — zero inbound ports required.
Private network routing
Route RFC 1918 traffic through Cloudflare Tunnel. Access internal 10.x.x.x ranges from anywhere via WARP client — replacing legacy VPN split tunnels.
Application exposure
Expose internal web apps, SSH, RDP and databases through Cloudflare Access — with identity-based authentication and full audit logging.
High availability
Multi-tunnel redundancy with health checks and automatic failover. We design tunnel architectures that survive data center failures.
Where Tunnel fits.
Origin server protection
Hide web server IPs behind Cloudflare. Even if an attacker discovers your origin, there's no open port to connect to.
Developer tool access
Expose Grafana, Jenkins, GitLab, internal wikis — accessible via browser with SSO, without VPN.
Multi-cloud connectivity
Connect AWS, Azure, GCP and on-premise workloads through a single Cloudflare Tunnel mesh. Unified routing and security policies.
OT/IoT connectivity
Securely connect factory floor systems, IoT gateways and SCADA interfaces without exposing industrial networks to the internet.
Tunnel connectivity architecture.
Cloudflare Tunnel creates encrypted, outbound-only connections from your infrastructure to Cloudflare's edge. No inbound ports, no public IPs, no firewall rules — your origin becomes invisible to the internet.
Tunnel vs. traditional connectivity.
How Cloudflare Tunnel compares to VPN, MPLS and direct internet exposure for connecting infrastructure.
| Aspect | Cloudflare Tunnel | Site-to-site VPN | Direct exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public IP required | No | Yes (both ends) | Yes |
| Inbound ports | None (outbound only) | IPsec/IKE ports | Application ports |
| Attack surface | Zero (invisible origin) | VPN endpoint exposed | Fully exposed |
| Setup time | Minutes (software) | Hours–days (hardware) | Minutes |
| Redundancy | Built-in (multi-tunnel) | Manual (active-passive) | Load balancer |
| Performance | QUIC + Argo routing | IPsec overhead | Direct (no security) |
| Access control | Per-app identity policies | Network-level only | Application-level |
| Cost | Included with CF plan | Hardware + bandwidth | Minimal (risky) |
Our Tunnel deployment process.
A structured approach to replacing exposed origins and VPN-based access with secure Cloudflare Tunnel connectivity.
Infrastructure Audit
Map all public-facing services, internal applications and network topology. Identify origins with exposed IPs and services currently accessed via VPN.
Tunnel Architecture
Design tunnel topology: connector placement, redundancy, private network routes. Configure DNS records and Access policies for each application.
Deployment & Testing
Deploy cloudflared connectors (systemd/Docker). Configure tunnels, test each application. Validate failover, measure latency vs. existing VPN.
Cutover & Hardening
Close inbound firewall ports. Remove public DNS records pointing to origin IPs. Monitor tunnel health. Document architecture for your ops team.
Frequently asked questions.
Does Tunnel replace our VPN entirely?
For application access — yes. Tunnel + Access replaces VPN for accessing web apps, SSH, RDP and databases. For full network-level access, Tunnel with Private Network Routing + WARP client provides equivalent functionality with better performance.
What about performance overhead?
Cloudflare Tunnel uses QUIC protocol (HTTP/3) and connects to the nearest Cloudflare data center. In practice, tunnel connections are faster than VPN because traffic routes through Cloudflare's optimized backbone — not the public internet.
Can Tunnel connect to on-premise data centers?
Yes. We deploy cloudflared as a systemd service or Docker container in your data center. It establishes outbound connections — no firewall changes needed. Supports high-availability with replicated connectors.
Ready to get started with Cloudflare Tunnel?
Book a free assessment call with our Cloudflare engineering team.