Remote Network Connectivity

Remote Network Connectivity: 

Remote Network Connectivity

Remote Network Connectivity: 

Remote Network Connectivity Remote access capabilities allow a computer or application service that is hosted on one network to be accessed by a computer from an external location. The computer that is being remotely accessed can be physically situated in an enterprise data center, in a remote branch office location, or be hosted by a third-party service provider. The actual accessing is accomplished via broadband Internet connections, dial-up modems or by logging in through a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. Remote access technology is crucial for a variety of reasons. It allows companies to securely deliver applications and support right to the user’s desktop regardless of where the user is physically located. Large companies with numerous branch office locations and geographically distributed operations need remote access support in order for workers at such locations to access the central enterprise network. Since the history of remote access, an increasing number of companies are expanding their telecommuting programs in order to gain further human resources from abroad. More Americans work out of home and branch office locations these days than any time previously. These telecommuters need on-demand access to their IT assets and applications regardless of where or how they may be logging in.

The Technology Behind Remote Access: 

The Technology Behind Remote Access The past few years have brought us an explosion in innovation and development, such as the history of remote technology that has led to a deployment of this tecnology today are both in businesses and at home. While the cost savings and benefits of remote access technologies are apparent to anyone that’s ever needed to remotely access data on physical computers at a distance, few understand how such protocols and methods really operate. Our goal here is to educate the general public about what goes on behind the scenes and how remote access really works across networks to deliver instantaneous access to information across the web and the many remote access use cases that we know

Purpose: 

Purpose Remote network access is a generic term used to describe accessing an organization's computer network by individuals not located at the organization's offices. This may take the form of traveling employees, employees who regularly work from home, or employees who work both from the office and from home. In many cases, both the organization and the employee may benefit from the increased flexibility provided by remote access. As with any innovation, however, the benefits may be countered by risks if the purposes and methods of the remote access are not fully understood by all participants. The purpose of this policy is to define the approved method for City employees to remotely connect to the City network and how their connection will be established, controlled and managed.

Administrative Rule: 

Administrative Rule Remote access to the City network by City employees is authorized when business activities require it, subject to approval by Bureau or Office Management. The approved method of remote access is through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection.

 The following policies apply to those approved for remote VPN access to the City network :-: 

The following policies apply to those approved for remote VPN access to the City network :- Remote network access shall only occur via a BTS maintained virtual private network (VPN) system. This does not apply to the use of the City portal applications with secure access support, such as the City's web and/or email portal .Full VPN tunnel access is only available to BTS maintained systems. When actively connected to the City network, VPNs will force all traffic to and from the remote computer over the VPN tunnel. All other traffic will be dropped. Split tunneling is not permitted; only one network connection is allowed.

PowerPoint Presentation: 

All authorized remote VPN users assume responsibility to assure that unauthorized users do not access City networks through their systems, software or configurations. This includes employee's family members, friends and associates.

The Benefits of Remote Access: 

The Benefits of Remote Access

Make Use of Travel Time: 

Make Use of Travel Time Travel, whether it be for a daily commute or to a vacation spot, takes up valuable time. Employees who can access their work while on the road, however, are more likely and better able to use their travel time productively. Increased productivity benefits an employer for obvious reasons, but it also helps an employee by allowing them to keep up with projects during the work day, thereby reducing the likelihood of having to devote after-hours time to business matters.

Sick Days: 

Sick Days Everyone knows the drill: one person comes into the office with what seems to be nothing more than a slight cold and by the end of the week half of the office is out sick with the flu. Thus, it is often better for someone with the sniffles to take a sick day, but many employees are hesitant to take days off when feeling ill for fear of getting behind in work. By being able to work at home, germs can stay out of the office without the employee having to sacrifice productivity.

Weekend Work: 

Weekend Work No one likes to work over the weekend, but sometimes it's a necessity. Being able to do work over the weekend from home aids employers by effectively increasing the work week. Similarly, employees are benefited by being able to get their overtime work done from the comfort of their own home. Further, employees who can access their work from home are more likely to check in on work email and work-related issues or projects throughout the course of the weekend, whether they need to or not.

Secure Data Servers: 

Secure Data Servers When using a remote access service, all data is stored on one central drive that can be accessed only by authorized computers. Thus, important and confidential work files are secure and are kept safe from individual computer failures or problems. In addition, because all files are saved on one server, employees with authorized computers are able to access needed files quickly and easily, thereby eliminating the many problems that might be caused by forgetting a document or file at work

The Disadvantages of VPN Remote Access: 

The Disadvantages of VPN Remote Access

High Security Risks: 

High Security Risks Using a computer not provided by your company to connect to a VPN poses security risks. If your computer doesn’t have anti-virus software installed, it may become infected, which in turn could cause a virus outbreak on your office network. Also, if your operating system has vulnerabilities that are not fully patched, they can be exploited not just by malware, but also hackers, who can hijack your VPN connection and make it appear legitimate to your company’s tech support staff. Even with some encryption, you are vulnerable because others around you may see confidential or sensitive information on your company network. This is especially true if you’re using a laptop and accessing your office VPN via a free wireless connection in a shopping mall or cafe.

Unnecessary Network Traffic: 

Unnecessary Network Traffic VPN connections contribute to total network traffic. Having many VPN connections at the same time can considerably slow down your company network. Also, since VPN connections are made from outside the office, workers can engage in non-work related activities, such as streaming music or videos, downloading from peer-to-peer networks, chatting, or playing online games. This wastes bandwidth, greatly affecting network performance and speed.

Delays and Disconnections: 

Delays and Disconnections VPN connections are not as reliable as a dedicated line. Since they rely on the Internet, the quality of connection suffers. Accessing computers and shared folders, running applications, and copying files are noticeably slower than they would be on a dedicated line. For example, moving a large file from one server to another might take a few minutes over a dedicated line, but could take hours when done across a VPN connection. VPNs can also be unstable, especially if the Internet connection through which they are reached is unreliable. They may time out or get disconnected frequently. Aside from the inconvenience of being disrupted, reconnecting may take time, because the previous connection may have not ended properly. In that case, authentication needs to be re-established.

Remote Access Then and Now: 

Remote Access Then and Now If you have logged in to a videoconference where you viewed a presentation on someone else’s computer or participated in a virtual classroom where the instructor takes questions from students that are typed into the student’s computer and displayed on the instructor’s, you may think remote access is very modern. While it is true that today’s remote PC access interfaces are far more advanced than they were a few years ago, remote access is a decades-old concept. When research facilities at universities and government labs began using dummy terminals tapped into a mainframe computer, computer users quickly realized they could use telephone lines to access and transfer the mainframe data, as well. The first modems were used in the 1950s to transfer data from government labs for air defense systems. The first commercial modem was produced in 1962 and the technology quickly developed, becoming faster as data transmission became more widely used and in demand. The 56k modem was invented in 1996, allowing high-speed transmission that exceeded the capacity of telephone lines. Multiplexing allowed information to be streamed in a more efficient way over phone lines within the frequency range available. Modems allowed remote administration of PCs and computer systems, but the cost for telephone line usage was high over long distances and the search for a cheaper, faster medium persisted.

Remote Access Then and Now: 

Remote Access Then and Now

Remote Access Today: 

Remote Access Today

Remote Access Today: 

Remote Access Today These days, web-based programs use broadband Internet to accomplish the benefits of remote access. Secure Internet sites send certificates letting anyone accessing the site verify its security. A company offering a remote access program allows a user to login to their secure site and establish a connection with a remote user who has an account set up there. The host logs in using a host computer and the secure connection is established. This type of service requires only a small download on each user’s end and is set up in a very short time frame, usually within a minute. Secure, high-speed connections have enabled great advancement in remote PC access. Today, remote access use cases are wide-ranged including software support, PC troubleshooting, secure file transfer, software installation and upgrades, training sessions, collaborative team work sessions, virtual classes and many other applications requiring people and computers in different locations to interact. Secure remote access has changed the way business is conducted worldwide.

By Aakash Lalka: 

By Aakash Lalka