04 Information Technology

Remote Access: Connecting Your World

Any property manager will attest to the fact that property management is a never-ending job. Managers are constantly called upon to put out 'fires' and handle even the smallest emergencies in the communities they manage. This calls for a lot of running around, namely back and forth between the manager's office and the community. In a typical situation, a manager will need to access their management software from the office, visit the remote location where they take notes or use some other method to track what is being done, and then return to the office only to re-enter that information into the management software. With such a high level of traffic, it is easy to understand why managers are crying out for a remote access solution.

Remote access is a rather broad term that means to connect to a computer in one location from another location. I have defined a few subcategories that break down the types of remote access available to today's property manager. These are: Data Sharing, Direct Connection, Software Connection, and Internet Connection. It is my hope that with this information on hand, you can make an informed decision as to which form of remote access is best for your company.

Data Sharing

A number of management software companies have implemented remote data sharing solutions via PDAs (Portable Data Assistants) such as the Palm or Pocket PC. The data from the management software is synchronized to the PDA at the management company's location. The user can then take the unit to an onsite location, update the data as necessary, and return to the management company. There, the user synchronizes the new data into the management company software, and viola! The manager avoids duplicating his work in the field with the simple press of a button. Contact your management software company to see if they have a PDA solution, or visit http://www.topssoft.com/Products/t2000hho.htm for information on TOPS Software's PDA solution.

Another innovative solution for management companies with on-site managers is a new product from TOPS Software called TOPS On-Site™. This product enables the management company to keep the primary community data (owners, accounting, etc) at their main location, and 'share' owner data with the on-site community manager. The community manager, in turn, has access to community modules such as Work Orders and CC&R Violations via TOPS On-Site™. Data sharing may be accomplished through several means, such as e-mail or floppy. For more information, go to http://www.topssoft.com/TOPS_On-Site/.

Direct Connection

Perhaps the easiest form of remote access for a single user is a VPN Tunnel (Virtual Private Network). This requires a broadband connection (usually DSL) on both ends. In my experience, the biggest trouble with this method of remote access is the setup. A VPN Tunnel generally requires that both locations use the same provider. You will need to choose a provider that extends this service, as not all DSL providers do. The provider will program a direct connection between the router at location 'A' and the router at location 'B', thus providing a 'tunnel' through which the two sets of computers may communicate. Once the tunnel has been set up, the user may access the computer on the other end of the connection as if they were directly connected through a network. This allows the user to access files and run programs from their remote location. This method is one of the most secure and user friendly once it is set up.

An alternative for larger businesses is a software-based VPN. This requires a broadband connection at the main location and a static IP address through which users can connect. (Contact your Internet Service Provider to purchase a static IP address.) If you wish to explore this option, you will need to procure the services of a competent network professional to perform the setup. The primary advantage of a software-based VPN is that multiple individuals or locations may connect into the host machine via the VPN.

Software Connection

The primary characteristic of a software connection is the fact that the user is logging into, and controlling the host computer from their remote location. Therefore, as opposed to the VPN solution, where the user works on their own computer and simply accesses files and programs from the host computer, in a software connection, the user is in fact controlling the host computer as if they were there at the main location. This means that the host computer must be unoccupied at the time the remote user connects to it, and only one remote user may connect at a time. The software must be installed at each location, and the speed is determined by the lowest speed connection. For example, if the main office has a DSL connection, but the remote office is connecting over a 33.6kbps modem, the user will only be able to control the computer at the slower speed.

Commercial software such as PC Anywhere or Lap Link is often used to connect remotely from one computer to another. These packages work by 'calling' the address of the host computer from the remote computer. A connection is then established, and the user may control the host computer. Of these commercial packages, I prefer PC Anywhere, which includes better security settings and allows file transfer between the two computers. At about $180.00, PC Anywhere provides a good service for its cost. For more information, go to http://www.symantec.com/product/product_pca10.html.

If you are in the market for a much cheaper (read free) remote solution, my favorite is a product called Win VNC (Virtual Network Computing). This software exists in two pieces: the server, installed on the host machine, and the viewer, installed on the remote machine. The user runs the viewer on their computer to initiate a session with the host computer. The user must enter in the IP address of the host computer he wishes to call, and enters in a predefined session password. (I recommend procuring a static IP address from your Internet service provider for the host machine.) The remote user now has full access to the host computer, and he may perform any actions he wishes there. The one disadvantage to VNC is its inability to transfer files between the two computers. I have managed to get around this by e-mailing myself any files I may need. For more information, go to http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc.

For medium to large companies looking for a software-based solution, Microsoft comes to the forefront with a product called Windows Terminal Server. This product requires that the host computer be running a Microsoft Server Operating System, such as Windows NT or Windows 2000 Server. Again, a static IP address is desirable for the host computer. Terminal server is marked by two distinct advantages over the other software solutions discussed above. First, it runs in the background, meaning that users at the main location cannot look at the host computer's monitor to know what the remote user is doing. Secondly, with Terminal Server more than one user can connect to the host machine simultaneously. For more information, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/terminal.

Internet Connection

For those of you who need to connect to the host computer from a number of different locations (a manager who manages several communities, for example) one solution is a product called GoToMyPC. This Internet service works similar to a software-based solution in that the user can control the host system. The user simply logs on to the Internet from wherever they are, connects to the GoToMyPC web site, and logs in to the host computer over the Internet. GoToMyPC is a subscription-based service, and costs about $20 per month. For more information, go to https://www.gotomypc.com.

Of course, there are many more remote access solutions available that I did not have the space to discuss here. A little research goes a long way in making such an important step for your business. Be sure to consult with your network administrator prior to implementing any solution which may compromise the security of your network.

Andrea Drennen is the Internet Services Manager for TOPS Software.

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