Using Terminal Services over VPN Advise please!!!

[StressedTechie]

Hi

TS and VPN is a totally new area to me. Basically I work for a firm that processes payroll for small companies. My project at the moment is to produce a feasibility study for using Terminal Services over VPN.

SCENARIO
We would like to offer clients the option to run their own payroll but on a system hosted at our office. The cleint would access via VPN into a Terminal Server. The processing would take place here and then the data stored on our main server.

I have searched the internet and found a number of articles on VPN and TS but still it is as clear as mud.

The above scenario does not sit well with me. I am concerned of the security implications, the costs and administration of such a project.

These are the questions I am looking for answers to
1/. What licencing implications are there
2/. Is it niave to think that the application we want to run via TS will work.
3/. What System Requirments do my TS and Client machines require (I am running small business server 2000 and windows 200 clients) Some of our clients are using older OS's ie ME, 9x and XP
4/. Administration - Is it a complicated install client side
5/. Security concerns should I be considering, apart from the obvious!

Cheers
I am nervous about this project as its totally new to me and I am concerned at the complexity and costs involved. I am wondering if a webbased solution may be easier!!!

 

[mdsurfrider]

Stressed,

The first question you should ask is what are the uptime requirements and can your facility act as a co-lo and meet those requirements. If so, than you should not be as stressted.

Also, why use a VPN? TS is encrypted and would be more responsive without the VPN as encryption provides extra network Overhead.

1) You will need a BackOffice CAL (like Exchange) for each connection

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/pricing/tsfaq.asp

2) Depends..Is the app light-weight, distributed, or simply and executable that makes database queries.

3) See the link for #1.

4) Nope. Term Svcs client comes w/ XP and can be downloaded for the other platforms.

5) I wouldn't use a VPN, personally. Make sure all your use accounts are locked down w/ strong passwords and use lots of auditing.

If there's anyway to make this a multi-tiered web application than that would be the way to go.

Email me if you want to discuss further.

Best Regards,

Michael Law - MCSE, CCNA, SCSA, MCIW
Qualatech Computer Consulting, LLC

http://www.qualatech.com

 

[StressedTechie]

MDSURFRIDER
Thanks for the response I will read the FAQs from your hyperlink!

My main concern is the complexity involved at getting the client able to access our systems. I think a web based solution would better serve our requirments and cut down the adminstartion involved in getting these clients up and working. The product involved is written in Access so am not too sure how stable this will be. I think I need to sit down with our local IT support company. I will let you know how I get on.

Your name is Surfrider you dont surf by any chance do you!!

 

[Seaspray0]

This may help clarify VPN and TS.

VPN - Virtual Private Network. It allows a computer on a remote network or internet connection to connect to your local network. Basically it makes a remote computer look like it was hard wired directly into your local network with a cable in the building. This is useful if your company uses a private network address scheme.

TS - Terminal Services. Creates the condition where a remote computer opens a window to the computer providing the terminal service. It gives a remote user the ability to make his computer appear like it IS the computer providing the terminal services (the same as if the user actually logged onto the terminal server by sitting down at the keyboard in front of it and logging in). This is useful if you have a large database and don't want to transfer all that information across your internet connection to process on the client. All the processing and work is done on the server and only keyboard/mouse is sent to the terminal server and display results recieved (works well even over a modem).

Note: if your terminal server is on a private ip address, you will need to VPN into your network to access it.

I'd go with mdsurfer's suggestion on using web access to do what you want but I would make it a secure connection (SSL) to do it. That requires a certificate.

 

[TurboTechy]

You sound like my boss, Maybe you should see if you could hire someone like myself? Food for thought. How did you get your job there?