Today's workforce includes many who frequently work from home, or take home projects to finish on evenings and weekends. There are also those who operate day-in and day-out on the road.
So to stay productive, it is critical to have access to the important business information normally located at the office. Thanks to the internet, access to your business data is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week – which will make running a business that much easier. Here's how.
Access Information from Your Office PC
When out of the office, you can access information on your office PC any time of the day when you have Windows XP Professional installed on the computer.
The Remote Desktop feature in Windows XP Professional lets you remotely control your computer from another office, from home, or while travelling. This allows you to use the data, applications and network resources that are on your office computer—without ever being in your office. The computer you use to connect with your office PC must have Windows 95 or later versions of Windows installed on it, along with the Remote Desktop client software.
When remotely connected to your office computer, Remote Desktop automatically locks it to prevent others from gaining access to the applications and files you're working with. And no one in your office can watch your desktop and see any work you are doing because only the logon screen remains visible.
Access Information on Your Server
If you operate a server in your office environment, you can securely connect to it when away from the office to access your business e-mail, your PC desktop and even programs that are run from the server.
Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 makes it easy with Remote Web Workplace, a dynamically created website that provides users a single, simple entry point to remotely access information on your company server. Using any computer connected to the internet, your out-of-office workers can navigate the site.
When you log on to the Remote Web Workplace, a web page displays and presents you with options that enable you to connect to your office in-box, your computer desktop, the company intranet site and more.
Access Your Business E-mail
Computer users have been accessing e-mail over the internet for years through services such as Microsoft Hotmail. But business users working out of the office typically require more sophisticated e-mail services.
Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 includes Exchange Server 2003, which enables you to host your own e-mail. And Exchange allows employees to use Outlook Web Access (OWA), a web-based e-mail client that includes calendaring and scheduling, and folders that hold company documents. You and your out-of-office employees can simply log on to OWA from any computer connected to the internet to receive and send e-mail, view contacts and schedule meetings.
Access Information on a Mobile Device
Supporting out-of-office workers can also require providing remote, anytime access to company information for employees using cell phones and other portable devices. Users of SmartPhones and Windows Pocket PC software can access their e-mail, calendar and task information from their Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 network over the internet.
The variety of secure options now available to remotely access business information is making it easier and easier for employees who work away from the office to remain as productive as those at the office
Find Companies who specialise in providing a range of Remote Access solutions in your local area.