Best way to connect to my server

[ljCharlie]

What is the best way to connect to my server? I can think of a couple of options such as remote desktop connection and tsweb services. With remote desktop connection, the client has to have Windows XP remote desktop connection application installed. With tsweb, I have to turn on IIS and somehow I couldn't find the tsweb service to download anymore. Any help is appreciated.

ljCharlie

 

[anthonymel]

I was just about to post the same question. I currently use Remote Desktop to connect to my server at the office and tsweb services when I'm on machines that don't have remote desktop installed.

I know this can't be secure. I am planning on getting an ISA 2004 server very soon to do some VPN connection which I'm sure is a hundred times more secure than remote desktop.

Like ljCharlie asked, whats the way to go here?

Oh by the way, here is a link to setp by step guide to setting up the tsweb service.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/northrup_03may16.mspx

Anthony

 

[TidyTrax]

If you have a machine thats not running XP you can install the remote desktop client from the tsclient directory on your server, either that or download it from Mircosoft. The security implications depend on whether you wish to hav access to your server from the internet or just from your own network.

If you want access from the internet, you'll have to open port 3389 on your firewall, you can lock down who has access to Term Services from AD. Its pretty secure so long as you keep your Windows Updates and Security patches up-to-date. I would recommend using the Baseline Security Analyser and IIS Lockdown tool before you allow remote access to your server from the internet, whether it be for Term Serv or IIS eg: exchange web mail.

Using a VPN would make the connection a lot more secure, but i monitor around 50 remote servers with TS logins across the internet and i hav never had a problem

 

[ljCharlie]

Thank you for the response. Yes, I do have port 3389 open on my firewall and it's working except that I want to access through a web browser. I just installed the tsweb on my personal computer at home. I'll give it a try and see what happens. The problem I have with this method is that the IIS is running.

ljCharlie