[X4U] remote access

[Simon Forster]

Mitchell

Really you need to give us more to go on but, as an overview, you've  
got 2 basic methods of remote working:

1) Control a machine remotely
2) Access data remotely

Sophisticated remote access tools will seamlessly marry the 2  
mechanisms together, but let's stay with this split for the time being.

1) Control a machine remotely
If you want to access a remote machine to do a bit of work on it,  
you've got programs like VNC. These types of programs allow you to  
open a window to your remote machine and use it as if you were  
sitting in front of it (all be it a bit slower as the screen image  
isn't coming via a dedicated cable from the box under your desk but  
via a long thin copper wire connecting back to your office).  
Literally think of a window on your machine which shows the screen  
image of the machine in your office. Move your mouse within this  
window and the cursor on the machine in the office will move. Hit the  
keyboard and text will appear on the office machine. You may want to  
bash out a Word doc on the office PC and then print it to the office  
printer while sitting at home. VNC will allow you to do this.

In your specific instance: "And one of the reasons to access the  
network is to be able to access our case management app", if all you  
need to do is log onto your work machine and do stuff with the case  
management app, this'll work fine for you. However, this starts to  
break down if, for example, you need to export some data from the  
case management app to your local machine. This is where 2) comes  
into play. (And yes, I'm ignoring command line remote access tools  
here - so shoot me).

2) Access data remotely
There are just too many ways of doing this to give a comprehensive  
list. You can use FTP, http, AFP, SSH, RCP to copy data between  
machines. You can throw virtual private networks into the equation to  
give you easier and more secure access to the data, etc, etc. More  
specific info is needed to offer anything approaching a definitive  
answer here.


On 7 Sep 2006, at 09:48, Mitchell Senft wrote:

> Apparently there are web-based services. Are these services  
> platform-agnostic?

They should be - but without further info it's difficult to be sure.

> They say I can access my p.o.b. PC but can I really? I mean, can I  
> run the apps on my work PC from the web connection?

Yes. See 1) above. I regularly use VNC to access a PC in London (60  
miles away) to do mindless stuff. Similarly, I use VNC to access a PC  
less than 20 feet away on occasions.

There's also Timbuktu from Netopia <http://www.netopia.com/software/ 
products/tb2/multi/>. This makes copying data between machines quite  
easy. Windows has Remote Desktop and there's a Mac client app for  
this <http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx? 
pid=remotedesktopclient>, there's Citrix server (more enterprise /  
highend) and no doubt others will chime in with their favourite apps  
too. Go look at the Microsoft link as it explains things quite nicely.

> Or to work in word processing documents do I have to do it through  
> a compatible app on my Mac?

You can do either. Realistically, for occasional use, remote access  
is fine but if you're doing this regularly you'll probably find speed  
an issue.

> And one of the reasons to access the network is to be able to  
> access our case management app; can that may be made to work with  
> one of these services?

See above.

> Exactly what can I access through the Mac?

Anything.

> Particularly for the case management app, must it be installed on  
> the Mac -- which of course means a MacIntel w/Windows. Or am I  
> really going to have to commit to a dual-booting MacIntel?

Depends. If you need to dip into the case management app, remote  
access via something like VNC will be fine. If you need to work on it  
flat out, 100% of the time, you'll need it on your local machine.

HTH

Simon Forster
_______________________________________________________
  LDML Ltd, 62 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5HZ, UK
  Tel: +44 (0)20 8133 0528   Fax: +44 (0)70 9230 5247
_______________________________________________________