Albert
Einstein said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking
we used when we created them”. So, sometimes we need to escape
the tether of our desk. But what if you need access to files or emails
to work on your business challenges? This month we highlight the things
to consider when working away from the office.
If
you only need a few key documents, you may decide to copy
them onto a USB drive to take them out of the office. Be
very careful if these files contain private information such
as financial figures or customer records, as USB drives can
be easily lost or even stolen. Consider USB drives with security
features such as password access and encryption. You also
need to keep in mind whether other people would need to access
and possibly update those same files in your absence, as
you don’t want to end up with conflicts where your
changes overwrite theirs or vice versa.
You
may be able to access your emails via any computer with internet
access, using a web browser version of your email software.
This would require you to enter your name and password and
is then encrypted, using the same security mechanism as internet
banking and online purchasing systems.
Email
access on mobile phones is also becoming increasingly popular.
If you’re worried about the large attachments that
you receive and how big your phone bill may become, most
phones allow you to download only a small part of each message
first. You can then decide which emails you want to see the
entire contents of and which attachments you which to download
fully.
You
can even remotely control your office computer across the
internet from another PC, seeing and actioning everything
as if you were sitting back at your desk. Access can also
be granted so you can use the local disk drives and printers
at your location, and copy and paste information between
the two computers. This, however, would require your office
computer to be powered on.
If
you normally use a laptop, you may be able to achieve seamless
connectivity back to your office using a ‘virtual private
network’ (VPN). This secure channel across an internet
connection allows your laptop to act as if it’s plugged
in back at your desk, including synchronizing files for later
use when you are completely disconnected.
Call
ITensure today about about the best
remote access method for you.
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