I think most of you'ns are doing #1. Things like M$ Remote Desktop will work great, and as long as it meets all necessary requirements, then it's certainly okay. And I would think that bert or google could get you going with #1. #2 or #3 will require a bit more network expertise and at least one "VPN router". #3 will require 2 such 'routers'.
Apparently for some (or all), I worded this paragraph poorly. I do not mean to imply that bert could NOT help with #2 or #3.(!) I don't know what all bert can do. He tells me he's a doctor who wants to be an IT guy. For all I know, bert is a network ninja who just hasn't yet found his dream IT job and hence he's still here. (no, I'm not calling bert a liar!). I dunno... I suppose I did assume that most (all?) doctors wouldn't know jack about the relevant computer science theories and practices regarding these issues (every DR I've met has scorn for the knowledge of IT -- bert is a respectable guy, from my professional standpoint); in the same way, I wouldn't be offended if you all thought I was fully incompetent to diagnose a skin infection. (Ahh!! Not that I think that bert is incompetent, either!)
All I've tried to do here is NOT offer solutions ... I hardly know what your problems are! I simply am trying to help you folks think about your needs so that when you do get to where you can spend the money and hire someone, if necessary, you are not lost. That's the best I can do long distance. Why am I doing this? I found an old friend here, read some of the messages, thought they were interesting, and thought I'd try to contribute in a limited way.
All this being said, it wasn't bert who mentioned this about me, to me. If bert is offended in some way, please accept my sincere and public apology. I was not intending to denigrate his/your skills at all. IT is such a varied world, we all could come up with our own way, and they'd all be different (the science governing IT is not the same science governing our bio/physical world...), and they'd all be okay. Yeah, each would likely think his idea is better. We've all encountered the arrogant IT person... I personally cannot stand them.
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