1. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
A. Final Assessment
An offering whose time has come and gone. There are better solutions out there in GotomyPC and Logmein.
B. General Description
Remote Desktop, included with Windows XP Professional, enables you to connect to your computer across the Internet from virtually any computer, Pocket PC, or Smartphone. Once connected, Remote Desktop gives you mouse and keyboard control over your computer while showing you everything that's happening on the screen. With Remote Desktop, you can leave your computer at the office without losing access to your files, applications, and e-mail.
For more info, visit these links:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspxor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Desktop_ProtocolC. Cost –
Included with Microsoft Windows XP Professional (zero cost if you have this already).
D. Speed – PENDING
For the fastest performance, be sure to modify the remote desktop properties to optimize speed. Under display, knock it down to 256 colors. Under local resources, select “leave it at remote computer”. Under experience, select “modem 28.8 Kbps” – every check box should be unclicked except bitmap caching.
No discernable impact on client computer and no discernable impact on remote computer. Some delay is noticeable even at the lowest experience settings.
Measured login time till in amazing charts?
Measured time to compact and maintain databases once successful login?
Time to open patient past encounter?
E. Ease of setup – RATING: Can be complicated for some.
A non-IT person can set it up. Not as easy as Logmein or GotomyPC but much simpler than VPN or UltraVNC. Time to setup was approximately 25 minutes. For more detailed explanation of the setup, please see:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457106.aspxIf the user wishing to use the machine is not an administrator, they must be added to the “remote desktop users” group to use RDP. For an explanation on how to do this, see here:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...4afb-88a2-dd0698c5d5091033.mspx?mfr=trueIt is highly recommended to use a regular user ID with user level permissions, not administrator permissions, for your RDP session.
If you use a cable modem or DSL, extra configuration is required to enable you to communicate with the computer in the office. Also, you may need to use port forwarding to point or forward the RDP destination traffic to the proper computer in your office. Otherwise, you will not be able to reach your office computer as the IP address will keep changing and the firewall may block the traffic.
To establish a domain name and subsequent “always known” IP address for your office computer, you will need a small program running on your office computer that constantly informs a server/domain name service of the current IP address. These programs are called dynamic DNS clients. Please visit either of these two sites to learn more:
http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_HOWTO_:_Ch19_:_Dynamic_DNS
http://www.no-ip.com/services/managed_dns/free_dynamic_dns.htmlTo use port forwarding on a Linksys product, refer to this page:
http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/main/sbs-linksys-port-forwarding.htmlF. Security –
Susceptible to man-in-the-middle eavesdropping attacks, and downloadable tool kits are capable of compromising connection.
Here is a link that describes how to best secure RDP:
http://www.mobydisk.com/techres/securing_remote_desktop.htmlIf you care to read about the exploit, the vulnerabilities are reviewed thoroughly in this article:
http://www.oxid.it/downloads/rdp-gbu.pdfThe latest version 6.0 attempts to minimize this security hole and should be used:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925876Port 3389 is open on your computer that might otherwise been closed. Open ports offer potential hackers access to begin intrusion efforts. For your reading enjoyment, read this post where a hacker is asking how to exploit computers using port 3389.
http://www.governmentsecurity.org/archive/t6783.htmlG. Key Features –
Works with Amazing Charts. Can easily move files between remote computer and the host computer. Can easily perform backup and other maintenance.
From Microsoft perspective, here is a list of features:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300698H. Scalability –
RDP is meant to be used by a single person on a single desktop. So, if you have a dedicated desktop per doctor, it will scale accordingly. The bottleneck limitation to number of doctors will be the size of the network pipe coming into your office.
If a user is logged on at the local console(in front of the computer), a remote user has to kick him off (and ironically, this can be done even without his permission) before starting work on the box. These articles explains how to remove this limitation and allow up to three users at one (2 remote, 1 local):
http://sig9.com/articles/concurrent-remote-desktophttp://riccardo.raneri.it/blog/eng/index.php/2006/04/24/windows-xp-multiuser-remote-desktop/
