Did you try the vpnc package first? Reports seem to indicate it doesn't work for everyone, but if it does, it seems far simpler.

Linode builds against the mainline kernel source, and the config of the build can be found on your linode in /proc/config.gz

I didn't know about vpnc.

I ended up doing a very heavy weight solution that worked (but stayed tuned for the big "DUH!" moment at the end):

on linode

apt-get install ubuntu-desktop vnc4server

vnc4server -geometry 1680x1050 -depth 16

on local machine

ssh -Cg -L5901:localhost:5901 @ # then vncviewer localhost:1

on linode in xterm window

nohup gnome-session &

then startup firefox and go to company's password protected vpn http site

click "start anyconnect client"

did not automatically install

clicked on download / save file

then logout of original ssh -Cg … window (kills vnc server)

relogin as root

ssh root@ ./vpnsetup.sh

then run vpn client

/opt/cisco/vpn/bin/vpn

connect myaccess.oraclevpn.com

It looked like it connected, but it terminated my ssh connection and I

could not ssh back into the machine.

DUH! Because the network is VPNed now!

I had to log into my linode dashboard and shutdown/boot my node.

Is there a way to VPN out of a machine without killing my ssh connection to the machine?