PC-Topp runs very reliably; systems have been running for years without intervention from outside. But in case of necessity - which means preventive action as well as debugging - it is important to have an efficient means of direct intervention.
Remote maintenance offers a convenient, safe and cost-effective way of dealing with problems occuring with your PC-Topp installation.
To enable remote maintenance, the PC-Topp support staff need access to your Service PC. There are several options of establishing the necessary connection.
Possibilities of Connection
Via Public Internet
The Internet connection to a customer's Service PC can be made in the following ways:
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VPN
If the customer is equipped with a VPN server and VPN access is provided for us we can connect to the Service PC by dialing into the customer's local network.
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Router
The connection can also be made by means of a router which provides the necessary Internet connection and is configured to relay the requests of the remote control software to the Service PC.
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Public IP Address
Another way of making the Service PC accessible is to directly connect it to the Internet so that it has a public IP address. The Service PC makes a modem connection to the Internet via an internet service provider who issues an IP address for the PC. The customer's IT staff then communicates this IP address to us whereupon we can access the PC with the help of this information.
Via Modem
One last possibility is a modem to modem connection from the customer's Service PC to one of our computers. The customer's IT staff connects by dialing our modem via telephone line.
Remote Control Software
There has to be a remote control software installed on the Service PC no matter what kind of connection you choose. We recommend the following products:
Even though the connection methods discussed above each have their virtues and faults there are some whose advantages clearly make them more attractive than others. Generally, connecting via Internet is cheaper than a modem to modem connection because of the telephone fees incurred when using the latter (which can amount to considerable sums in case of international long-distance calls).
In the following section, you will find an evaluation of the individual methods listed by degree of efficiency:
1. VPN
A VPN connection is very safe due to its being encrypted and tunneled. It offers a high degree of speed and convenience as it affords access to the customer's Service PC whenenver the need arises, independant of the presence and cooperation of any of the customer's IT staff on site.
2. Router
This method shares the VPN advantages but is subject to some restrictions as far as safety and accessibility are concerned: During the connection, the session's safety is ensured by the remote maintenance software, but even so, one of the PC's ports remains open to attacks from outside. Besides, the Services PC is only accessible to our team without assistance on the part of the customer if the remote control software is running there.
3. Public IP Address
This connection type is slower but safer than connecting by router because the connection is not open permanently. It can be considered to be as safe as browsing the Internet. Its disadvantage lies in the fact that maintenance on our part depends on the customer's cooperation.
4. Via Modem
Although a modem to modem connection is 100% safe it is a rather expensive and cumbersome way of enabling remote maintenance. Our staff cannot take action independently and they have to work under pressure because of the accumulating telephone costs. Progress may sometimes be very slow due to low quality connections which again heightens the fees. All in all we advise against it if there are other options of access.
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