This is "systemctl status <email address hidden>" with the openvpn - xenial repo (the functional one) - openvpn (2.4.6-xenial0)

● <email address hidden> - OpenVPN connection to server
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/openvpn@.service; indirect; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Thu 2018-08-23 13:15:11 CEST; 6h ago
     Docs: man:openvpn(8)
           https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/Openvpn23ManPage
           https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/HOWTO
 Main PID: 620 (openvpn)
    Tasks: 1 (limit: 2260)
   CGroup: /<email address hidden>
           └─620 /usr/sbin/openvpn --daemon ovpn-server --status /run/openvpn/server.status 10 --cd /etc/openvpn --script-security 2 --config /etc/openvpn/server.conf --writepid /run/openvpn/server.pid

Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server ovpn-server[13088]: <client-ipv4-address>:61079 peer info: IV_TCPNL=1
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server ovpn-server[13088]: <client-ipv4-address>:61079 peer info: IV_GUI_VER=OpenVPN_GUI_11
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server ovpn-server[13088]: <client-ipv4-address>:61079 [martin-pc] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]<client-ipv4-address>:61079
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server ovpn-server[13088]: martin-pc/<client-ipv4-address>:61079 MULTI_sva: pool returned IPv4=10.8.0.2, IPv6=<openvpn-client-ipv6-address>
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[13117]:  openvpn : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/etc/openvpn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/etc/openvpn/scripts/ndp-proxy-setup.sh add 10.8.0.2 martin-pc
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[13117]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[13117]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[13119]:  openvpn : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/etc/openvpn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/etc/openvpn/scripts/ndp-proxy-setup.sh add <openvpn-client-ipv6-address> martin-pc
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[13119]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 23 20:20:18 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[13119]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root


This is "systemctl status <email address hidden>" with the cosmic openvpn_2.4.6-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb
● <email address hidden> - OpenVPN connection to server
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/openvpn@.service; indirect; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Thu 2018-08-23 20:14:48 CEST; 1s ago
     Docs: man:openvpn(8)
           https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/Openvpn24ManPage
           https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/HOWTO
 Main PID: 10980 (openvpn)
   Status: "Initialization Sequence Completed"
    Tasks: 1 (limit: 2260)
   CGroup: /<email address hidden>
           └─10980 /usr/sbin/openvpn --daemon ovpn-server --status /run/openvpn/server.status 10 --cd /etc/openvpn --script-security 2 --config /etc/openvpn/server.conf --writepid /run/openvpn/server.pid

Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server openvpn[10980]: sudo: policy plugin failed session initialization
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server ovpn-server[10980]: martin-pc/<client-ipv4-address>:62089 WARNING: Failed running command (--learn-address): external program exited with error status: 1
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[11012]:  openvpn : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/etc/openvpn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/etc/openvpn/scripts/ndp-proxy-setup.sh add <openvpn-client-ipv6-address> martin-pc
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server openvpn[10980]: sudo: unable to send audit message
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[11012]: PAM audit_log_acct_message() failed: Operation not permitted
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[11012]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server sudo[11012]:  openvpn : pam_open_session: System error ; TTY=unknown ; PWD=/etc/openvpn ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/etc/openvpn/scripts/ndp-proxy-setup.sh add <openvpn-client-ipv6-address> martin-pc
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server openvpn[10980]: sudo: pam_open_session: System error
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server openvpn[10980]: sudo: policy plugin failed session initialization
Aug 23 20:16:13 name_of_my_vpn_server ovpn-server[10980]: martin-pc/<client-ipv4-address>:62089 WARNING: Failed running command (--learn-address): external program exited with error status: 1

I purged openvpn to get rid of everything. the only thing i left was the symlink to <email address hidden>