Remote Access

Remote Access is accessing a remote computer and taking control over a computer as if you were sitting at it and using its mouse and keyboard. In Windows, such access is provided by RDP—Remote Desktop Protocol. Using RDP, a user can request for assistance from a colleague or friend or from the organization’s help desk. The help desk technician connects to the user’s desktop, takes over control, and rectifies the problem as if he were sitting at the user’s workstation. He then hands back control to the user and disconnects the session. While Windows uses RDP, Linux uses VNC or Virtual Network Computing to achieve the same effect. When connecting to a computer over the Internet, things can get tricky, as both RDP and VNC are not very good at bandwidth management. Other software like LogMeIn.com and GoToMyPC.com are commercial options to connect to your computer using an extended and enhanced version of RDP / VNC. LogMeIn has a free version that provides basic remote Desktop functionality, but without the management features you would require if you are supporting multiple desktops.