iptables service not started because of error (SVC_RUN_EXCEPT)

I was recently setting up an OpenVPN Server on a brand new VPS on OpenVZ from an un-named host and I was given the following error when I tried to start everything up after installation:

iptables service not started because of error (SVC_RUN_EXCEPT)

 

The Issue

This is a pretty general error but is specific in terms of OpenVPN. This issue will occur when TUN/TAP is not enabled on your VPS container. As it turns out, my host was using OpenVZ and unlike XEN or other platforms, TUN/TAP is not enabled for the container.

The Solution

As a re-seller, your answer most likely lies with your host. Ask them to make sure the iptables state and nat modules are enabled for your container. This probably won’t be an issue. After that, you’ll need to ask them to open up the TUN/TAP interface.

Here are a few links, one from OpenVPN and one from OpenVZ, that instruct you on just how to make sure your container has everything it needs to use TUN/TAP

• http://openvpn.net/index.php/access-server/docs/admin-guides/186-how-to-run-access-server-on-a-vps-container.html
  
• http://wiki.openvz.org/VPN_via_the_TUN/TAP_device

Let me know how it goes or if more instruction is needed.

Cheers!