Remote access technology refers to any IT toolset used to connect to, access, and control devices, resources, and data stored on a local network from a remote geographic location.
This makes remote access crucial for businesses of all sizes which have not moved to a cloud-first model, or which require access to on-premises machines or resources. Three of the most common remote access technologies – Remote Desktop Services, Remote Access Software, and Virtual Private Networks – are examined in brief.
- Remote Desktop Services (RDS), also known as Terminal Services, is one of the most common methods used by SMBs to enable remote work. By using this method, individuals can remotely connect to an endpoint device or server which supports Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) via a Terminal Server. The connection can be made over a local network or internet connection and gives the user full access to the tools and software installed on the machine they connect to. This method is frequently used by IT departments to remotely access servers, or to provide easy local software access to multiple employees.
- Remote Access Software offers an alternative to RDS and leverages a dedicated software to remotely connect users to an endpoint device from anywhere in the world via the internet. This method of remote access is typically the easiest to implement, as it only requires the user to install the software on the computer to be accessed. This type of remote access is especially useful when most of the organization’s endpoint devices are desktops.
- A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology which creates a smaller, private network on top of a larger public network – most commonly the internet. By logging into the VPN, users can gain internet-based access to applications that would otherwise only work on local networks. The goal of any client-based VPN solution is to provide remote employees with the same level of access as onsite. However, this is functionally different from an RDS session, as it does not allow full access to an entire desktop, but only specific applications, software, and other resources which the user has been given access to.