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Dear IT Expert,
Can I set up my network in the office so
that I am able to work from home?
Sincerely,
Busy in Bedford
Dear Busy,
Working from home and on the road has
improved greatly over recent years. Connection speeds have
increased thanks to new types of data compression and faster
internet connections. There are a few different types of remote
access: Terminal Services, Virtual Private Networking, and
Microsoft Remote Web Workplace. We can help you decide which is
right for you.
We’ll start with Terminal Services. These
are easy to manage and are very secure servers. In this
scenario, a remote user launches a connection application and a
new desktop appears where they can run applications hosted on
the server. Many users can operate from one server. The
connection can be made from virtually anywhere with almost any
computer. As long as you don’t have a monochrome 286 from 15
years ago (or worse), you’re set. It will even work from a
Macintosh computer once you install the software if you so
choose. Don’t have the connection software on your pc? It is
always downloadable from Microsoft for Windows 98 or higher.
One of the main benefits of this type of
connection is the speed. While all remote connections aren’t as
fast as being there, this one gets the closest. Your computer
is sent small blocks of images instead of the actual data. As
long as you aren’t running anything too graphic intensive, speed
will not be much of an issue. You’ll still have access to all
of the shared documents, corporate email, financial applications
and everything else you would need. Another major benefit would
be that you only have to purchase one server, not many
workstations.
The second type of remote access is VPN, or
Virtual Private Networking. VPN has been dying a slow death in
past years. It is still very useful for a lot of situations,
but it becomes frustrating. With VPN, individual users can
connect from any internet connection (with a few exceptions) as
if they were actually on the network at the office, but it is at
about 1/100th the speed of actually being there. VPN
is often used to connect two or more remote offices together.
With VPN, users can access shared information, intranet sites,
and even printers from the network.
With a Microsoft Small Business Server,
Remote Web Workplace can be configured to allow individual users
access to their individual computers from anywhere in the
world. This works much the same as Terminal Services, but does
not consolidate and host all of the applications on the server.
Remote desktop connection is great for the user who needs a full
power desktop computer at the office, but still needs to take
remote control of it from time to time.
Other types of remote access exist for
smaller organizations also. There are many applications that
can be used to take remote control of individual computers and
servers, though configuring your network to allow these types of
connections to come in can be a hassle. In smaller environments
such as a home office that do not change much, these can be very
beneficial. They are usually fairly secure, just not as secure
as the previously mentioned connection methods.
Each organization is different and may
require a different type or types of remote access. As always,
calling your IT Consultant is the best way to get it right the
first time to continue growing and shaping your business for the
needs of the new millennium.
Sincerely,
Your IT Expert
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