Make OpenVPN run automatically as a service on Ubuntu. This includes an Upstart job and an expect script to automate OpenVPN private key password entry

etc.init.openvpn.conf

# openvpn
#
description "OpenVPN - virtual private network daemon(s)"
author "Jay"
version "1.0.0"

start on runlevel [2345]
stop on runlevel [!2345]

respawn

#exec /usr/sbin/openvpn --status /var/run/openvpn.client.status 10 --cd /etc/openvpn --config /etc/openvpn/client.conf --syslog openvpn
exec /etc/openvpn/autovpn

etc.openvpn.autovpn.exp

#!/usr/bin/expect -f
set force_conservative 0
if {$force_conservative} {
        set send_slow {1 .1}
        proc send {ignore arg} {
                sleep .1
                exp_send -s -- $arg
        }
}

set timeout -1
spawn /usr/sbin/openvpn --config /etc/openvpn/klout.conf
match_max 100000
expect -exact "Enter Private Key Password:"
send -- "PASSWORD_GOES_HERE\r"
expect eof