Being able to securely access your business files and documents from anywhere is now just as important as being able to receive your email from anywhere. In today’s world, business – quite literally – moves at the speed of light. Many times, you need to have instant access to ALL of your files and documents, not just the few you saved on that thumb drive or copied to your synced folder.
Whether you are wanting to get a little work done over the weekend, whether you’re on travel, or whether you’re simply looking for a way to telework on a regular basis, there are many options available.
As always, some of these solutions are better than others – especially depending upon your company’s specific needs. Below we’ll work through the three main types of remote access, along with some of the best tools within each category.
Remote access software (easy to set up)
These are programs designed to be used for access to a single PC remotely. They can usually be set up and configured by the end user, but the centralized control can be limited.
- LogMeIn: LogMeIn is the name most people think of when the topic of remote-controlling your desktop comes up. Its setup is extremely simple, and can usually be configured without the need for any changes in the corporate firewall. LogMeIn started with the intent of letting consumers connect to their home PC from anywhere, but has evolved into a robust offering with enterprise solutions that are highly manageable.
- GoToMyPC: Functionally, this offering from Citrix is nearly identical to LogMeIn in terms of both setup and usability. As with LogMeIn, there is both a consumer and a more robust enterprise version for an increased cost.
- Splashtop: Splashtop is focused on getting remote access to your desktop computer from mobile devices, though it can be used in the same way as the two previous solutions. Its controls are limited, but this lends to its extremely easy-to-setup/easy-to-use reputation.
- Google Chrome: A couple of years ago, Chrome added the ability to remote control your entire computer just by having their browser installed. This is convenient for many since Chrome is now the most popular browser in the world, and is likely already installed on your computer. From a corporate standpoint, this isn’t always a great choice because it’s hard to control access unless you are using a corporate Google Apps account for authentication.
