We now live in an age where it is possible to work wherever and whenever you want.

Small businesses can look to technology to help with keeping workers connected.

I think people get turned off by the complex sounding names for things like VPN, Remote Desktop or Terminal Services.

These are just the names of the technology that allow you to work remotely but as if you have access to the remote computer in front of you.

VPN

Virtual Private Network. This is a connection from one network to another, when joined together they create a Virtual Private Network.

A home worker would “VPN in” to a head office for example.

Once a VPN connection is established the user can access Shared/Mapped Network Drives for example and all the other network services like printing etc.

Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop is built into Windows XP Pro and Windows Vista and allows the remote computer to take full control over it.

Terminal Services

Terminal Services is like remote Desktop but it runs on a Windows Servers and creates virtual computing session for the remote user. So a Windows Terminal Server might have 30 people all remotely connected to it, each with their own virtual computer session connected to a central data repository.

So a VPN joins Site A to Site B and then you can choose either to Remote Desktop to a PC on site or Terminal Server depending on what you want the remote user to do.

All week I have been explaining how I use these technologies to help clients.

All my clients use “Remote” technologies of one kind or another. I chat with my clients and find out what they need and go about joining the dots for them.

I have clients who work from home.

I have branch office/head offices connected together.

I have people working in France, China and Australia using these technologies to stay connected back at base.

I also use Remote Desktop to take over problem computers or perform server maintenance. This is great for me as some clients are an hour away, but using Remote Desktop I can take over in seconds.

I make it sound really simple, there are a few caveats, and Security for example is one. You have to trust the remote worker to access your systems.

What’s important to remember is that companies are now free of geographical boundaries if you find the ideal employee but they live 3000 miles away there really is no reason they cant work for you and be efficient.

A while back I did a short video demonstration of VPN and Terminal Services.

Click the image below to go to the video demo.

If you’re a North West based business looking help and advice about Remote Working then get in touch I can help you. Tel: 01606-841587.

Link: http://www.481.co.uk