How Remote Desktop Can Change the Way Businesses Handle IT
NEW YORK – TECH = Remote desktop services have been around for a long time now. Dating back to an age when command prompts were ubiquitous with computing, telnet and secure shells allowed users and administrators to remote into workstations to access files for work or perform maintenance. Network admins, in particular, make prolific use of these command line tools, able to control sprawling networks that span miles apart.
With the introduction of Windows, the need for a more tactile remote application became apparent. Starting in the early 2000’s Microsoft began including built-in remote desktop services with certain versions of Windows. The ability to access a remote host’s full desktop became a powerful tool in the world of computing.
The ability to remotely access a distant host’s desktop has a staggering number of benefits. These aren’t just limited to IT applications or even strictly business based implementations; many everyday users are finding that mobile remote desktop software has jumped leaps and bounds within the last few years. Widespread use of tablet PCs and smartphones that are more desktop PC than phone enables creative users to use remote desktop in unconventional ways. Gaming, video, and application streaming are all finding the power of remote desktop can bring the desktop computer experience just about anywhere a connection to the internet can be found.
While recreational use of remote access is expanding new possibilities for entertainment on-the-go, it’s still clear that remote desktop software’s primary wheelhouse is in IT. The benefits of a fully integrated remote desktop system, are numerous, and forgoing its use can create an unnecessary burden on IT staff.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Imagine a common scenario: a medium-sized business with two branch offices and a small IT staff needs to manage ticket requests from both sites. Staff are kept on-site at both offices to handle hardware failures and other problems that demand in-person solutions. As work fluctuates, each office experiences a different load of incoming support tickets needing attention. For several hours a day, the team discovers that one office is inundated with requests for help, while the other is left with nothing to do but stare at the wall. While one group spends time watching Youtube, the other is so swamped with tickets that response time grinds to a halt. Work throughout the office is disrupted, ending in lost time, money, and nerves.
The implementation of ticketing software with remote desktop access, like remote desktop by SysAid, would alleviate these ebb and flow issues. Ticket requests from both offices could be shared regardless of physical distance, even if work on the host computer itself was required. Even without a fully integrated ticketing suite, simply installing an easy to use portal for remote desktop access on each workstation would allow IT responses to continue at a normal pace in both locations. Microsoft includes remote desktop access on corporate versions of it’s operating systems, but dedicated remote management software is easier to use, more secure, and more convenient.
This is a situation that takes place every day across the industry. While most larger businesses have already integrated some form of remote desktop software into their IT infrastructure, there are still many who don’t feel its necessary or provides enough benefit to include in their IT plans.
Slide Over, I’ll Fix This
Anyone who’s worked in IT for any length of time has consulted with the inexperienced computer user. The support ticket comes in; a response is given. The user is on the phone. The patient and experienced IT professional instructs the wary operator to click the start menu, then select run. Minutes go by. The tension hangs in the air as frantic clicking from the mouse is heard. Confused grunts and nearly inaudible moans carry over the line. The heat-death of the universe nearly occurs as time ticks away. Finally, a triumphant cry erupts from the satisfied user, followed by dead silence and the sound of a fist hitting a desk.
“I just restarted the computer, sorry, it’s turning back on.”
While this is an extreme example, moments like this occur all the time in IT departments everywhere. Not everyone is a computer whiz, and often it’s simply more productive to be able to take control and fix an issue without needing to explain how to open the command prompt. The amount of time and frustration saved by avoiding moments like these alone is worth the time and cost of implementing a remote access system.
Everywhere At Once
The wonderful nature of an interconnected office means remote access software allows IT staff to be anywhere they need to be, with little to no response time, all the time. With the right planning, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to work multiple separate issues at once. Many software-related errors will require manual attention from an IT professional that can’t be easily explained over chat or phone. Without remote access, every single one of these problems demands in-person attention. Remote access eliminates the need for this attention, giving IT the power to quickly address tickets at any distance.
Security Concerns?
With cybersecurity being an ever-present shadow looming over the tech industry, the question of security needs to be addressed when it comes to remote access. Fortunately for businesses, a properly secured internetwork remote access setup is no more vulnerable to attack than the network itself. With smart management of network access and dedicated access software applied to all systems, remote access implemented within the company can be safely utilized to handle IT ticket load.