Q:

How to connect to a VPN without using Unity network manager?

I have set up a VPN connection back when I used Unity instead of XFCE as DE for my Ubuntu 14.10. It worked well, but I can't find how I have to connect to it now under XFCE.
Is there e.g. a panel plugin for XFCE like the one in Unity to accomplish this or do I have to use the terminal or other GUI tools?

A:

I have this problem exactly. In 14.04 there was a flaky indicator I could use. It is not available in 14.10. 
In 14.10 with XFCE4, Settings > Network Connections allows me to set up VPN connections but does not give me the option to connect to any of them. I've looked everywhere for an app offering connections like those offered in the Unity dropdown, but I haven't found one. 
Eventually I used nmcli c to get the UUID of the desired connection, then I wrote two CLI scripts, vpnup and vpndown, to toggle the VPN:
#!
nmcli con up uuid (UUID)
[etc...]

This is easier than switching back and forth to Unity just to change a VPN connection.

