Confused...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Champion
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike Champion

I dont mind admitting it...I AM confused. I want to
access my WIN2k Server at work from home to run programs
such as quickbooks over my broadband internet connection.
Should I setup a VPN, RAS, terminal server?...HELP!

Please point me in the right direction. Documentation
would help or articles.

Thanks,

Mike
 
The difference in a nutshell

If you setup a VPN, you'd need to install Quickbooks or any other application you want to run on your remote computer, and point the application to the data file on your network. This is a PITA and can use a tremendous amount of bandwidth,as your data is going back & forth between your private LAN & your remote PC

If you use Terminal Services you open Port 3389 in your firewall to your Terminal Server, then use Remote Desktop to logon to the server from your house, done. This uses 26.4Kbps+ bandwidth regardless of the application you're running, not counting print redirection or file copy/paste. With TS only RDP data is transmitted between server & client. RDP consists of the display + mouse/keyboard clicks, so your data remains on the server, instead of tracking back and forth across your VPN

I have a lot of information on my website about TS, take a look

Patrick Rous
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Serve
www.workthin.com
 
Thankyou Patrick

So what your saying is a VPN will do the same thing but
has a tremendous amount of overhead compared to terminal
services.

My last question:

To use terminal services do I need a static IP at home and
at the office?

I'm checking out your web sight.,.....

Mike
 
Patrick,

I read the article about installing Terminal Services in
administration mode but want to install it in Application
Server Mode. Can you direct me to an article that
addresses Application Server Mode?

thankyou,

Mike
 
If you don't have a static where your server is, you would need a service
like dns2go.com but the client can be on a dynamic address. VPN with QB
SUCKS!!! TS is really your only solution. App mode is if you want others
in your company to work from hom, admin mode is just for administration (2
concurrent admins only).
 
Sure, but let me clarify that the major difference is between VPN & TS. With VPN you're extending the private network via encrypted tunnel to a remote location, so a remote computer has to be setup with all applications they would normally have at the main office to function correctly. You're responsibe for keeping them patched, virus free and up to date with all of your applications, as they're just another node on your network.

With Terminal Services you open one port on your firewall (3389) and users connect directly from their home computer to the terminal server. Whatever apps are installed on the terminal server they can use, so 50 remote users can all user Office 2003, your in-house applications, Intranet... and all of your data stays on the private network. Imagine you get a new Client/Server application for 50 remote employees using VPN, you'd have to setup all 50 of their remote computers with the new software. With TS you update the Terminal Server one time and you're done.

My website has all of this information and links to any how-to's you'd need, i.e.

How to install TS in Application Server Mode on Windows 2000:
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q306/6/26.ASP&NoWebContent=1

And the one that's a must read for TS newbies:
Technical Overview of Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;818775&Product=winsvr2003

Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
www.workthin.com


----- Mike Champion wrote: -----

Patrick,

I read the article about installing Terminal Services in
administration mode but want to install it in Application
Server Mode. Can you direct me to an article that
addresses Application Server Mode?

thankyou,

Mike
 
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