The ever evolving Internet has given us many things over the last several years - some we love and some we can live without.  We can now Christmas shop in the middle of the night while watching David Letterman.  We can price compare from the comfort of our couch, rather than braving the lines at Wal-Mart, and much of the time delivery is even free.  Most people have become used to the basic things that the Internet can give us, but some still do not realize the variety of options available for remote access to their offices.  What a wonderful concept!  You might actually go home instead of working all weekend! 

Most offices have the ability to allow remote Email access via the Internet, and some programs of this nature will also include Calendar and Contact access.  Outlook WebAccess offers this via Microsoft Exchange Server, while Novell GroupWise users have a similar WebAccess option.  Other office configurations may only allow you to POP your email remotely (e.g.. from home) and download a copy of what is on the email server at your office.  These are certainly handy options to have, however they are somewhat limiting because you do not have full access to all of the programs and documents, stored on your network.  That is where full Remote Access becomes the better option. 

If your office is running a Microsoft Server, you may be able to gain access to your network using Terminal Services.  This is a program that allows you to login to your network server via the internet.  If you are logging in from a Windows XP Professional computer, or if your office has Terminal Services setup to be a web application, then you can login without the need for any software loaded on your local machine.  The down side to Terminal Services is that some situations will require you to load software on the remote PC.  The other negative aspect is the fact that you are accessing the server, rather then your actual workstation, therefore you must make sure that whatever data you need is setup for you on the server.  This same feature can be a plus, if you are using a laptop both in and out of the office. 

In order to access your actual workstation over the Internet, you need Remote Access software.  There are several good brands on the market these days including GoToMyPC, NetOP, LapLink, pcAnywhere, and Microsoft NetMeeting.  Some require software installations, others require only a yearly subscription.  The concept behind these software programs is that your office computer acts as a host and other remote computers connect to the host.  For the remote computers to connect to the host, the host computer must be turned on and waiting on a connection request.  Therefore, this configuration is obviously problematic when using the same laptop for both in and out of the office connection, unless you have another user setup to be your “host” after hours.  

Network security is a concern when connecting to your desktop or network over the Internet. Remote access can be secure if it is set up correctly and the user accesses the internet using good sense.  Browsing the internet and attempting to connect to your computer remotely from a public computer in an internet café may not be the safest idea in the world, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility with modern technology. 

If working from home, or anywhere in the world appeals to you, remote access may be for you!

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Britt Knuttgen is the President and Director of Legal Technology for Automated Horizons, a firm specializing in information technology, legal technology, web design and marketing.
Copyright © 2004 by Automated Horizons, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international law.
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