Remote Work Implementation

Presently, because of the situation in the world, most companies are trying to transfer employees to a remote regime of operation. A large part of companies has decided to close down for the quarantine period. During this harsh period for everyone, Syncweb faced a major issue - many people do not understand what remote work is, how to set it up, and think that it is very difficult or impossible. Therefore, our team decided to enlighten everyone a little in the hope that you will be able to save your business by reorganizing your work to a remote regime.

Using remote access programs like TeamViewer and AnyDesk

This is probably one of the easiest ways to set up remote work at the enterprise, but also the most expensive. Such programs use their own servers to bypass NAT and some firewalls. All you need to do is install the app on your office computer, enter a password for access, and then install the app on your home computer. The application in the office will have a unique ID that will be used for connecting.

With this connection, you can fully see the remote screen and perform all actions as if you are directly behind the screen of the remote computer. TeamViewer and AnyDesk are the most popular of such applications. Each software product has different licensing options, it is worth reviewing each specific case on their official websites, but they are free for home use. If you take a license for one session for one person, then for TeamViewer it is 1999 rubles per month, and for AnyDesk it is 8.49 euros per month, as of today.

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Using remote access programs such as RAdmin, VNC, and RDP

This option is also quite simple, but it requires some knowledge. The principle is similar to previous programs, you get full access to the screen. The difference is that the connection uses an IP address, which means that the company's office must have a permanent external IP address. Besides, a specific port is used for connection, each application uses its own port, which you need to know. Examples of such software are RAdmin, VNC (i.e. TightVNC), and RDP, the latter of which is a standard remote desktop in Windows operating systems. RAdmin and VNC have the following general principle: you need to install the server part on your office computer, and the client part on your home computer. RDP is already installed by default on most Windows operating systems. Enter the IP address of the computer in the office and the port and all is done.

If you break down the setup process, it will look like this in general for small companies:

1. Installing the server part on the computer in the office and configuring the username/password.
2. Renting a static IP address from an Internet provider in the office, usually, the service is either free or costs a dime.
3. Configuring port forwarding on the router in the office (each computer on a specific port).
4. Installing the client part on home computers.

Licensing for RAdmin depends on the number of server parts installed, it costs 1250 rubles per computer. There are many VNC implementations, some are the paid ones, such as RealVNC, and others are free, such as TightVNC. RDP is free, but it is only available for the Windows OS family and it is quite vulnerable to hacking.

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Using a VPN

Virtual Private networks are also a way to set up remote access. Even more - for large companies, this is the most appropriate solution, but often not cheap. In essence, a VPN combines disparate devices (such as computers) around the world into a single secure local network. This way you can combine multiple offices and create the impression that all users are sitting in the same one. In general, the principle can be described as follows: a VPN server is installed in your office or on an external server, client applications are installed on computers, and then parameters for accessing the VPN server are specified.

Then you can use programs like VNC, RDP, or configure a full-fledged working PC — the choice is yours, but this choice will depend on the complexity of implementation and cost. There are a lot of applications that can set up a VPN, quite a lot. There are systems to prevent leaks, Data Leak Prevention, DLP, some have a built-in VPN. There are also full-fledged firewalls, such as Kerio Control, which also has a VPN implementation. There are implementations from network hardware developers, such as Cisco and Mikrotik. There is also a free option based on OpenVPN, but the complexity of configuration increases several-fold, as well as the requirements for knowledge and skills.

Highly qualified specialists of Syncweb cloud provider will be able to tell you in more detail or implementing remote work for your business using VPN.

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Telephony

With telephony, you can also switch everything to remote mode. The first option is to request the operator, in the case of using city lines, to set an unconditional forwarding to the employees’ cell phones. Unconditional forwarding means that all calls will be forwarded to the number specified for forwarding. You can choose the option of forwarding by non-response — in this case, the forwarding will occur if you didn't pick up the phone in time. It is the easiest and not too expensive way, each forwarded call is an outgoing call for you.

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Another option is if your company uses MiniATS (it may not work depending on your phone operator) and it does not matter what implementation is used, even if it is a solution that relies completely on software - in most cases, you can put it on forwarding, refer to your administrator or MiniATS documentation and see how it can be set up.

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Using a cloud ATS. This can be a solution from Rostelecom, Beeline, Bitrix or a huge number of other companies, or it can be implemented on your server based on asterisk or kamailio. There are commercial solutions, and there are free ones, for example, FreePBX. The cost varies depending on the capabilities, or the required knowledge to configure the free asterisk or kamailio.

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The use of cloud technologies

If these words don't mean anything to you, then you haven't read our article about the advantages of cloud technologies. Please note that this option is not suitable for every company. We always strive to ensure that our customers have an understanding of what they need it for and what it will give them in the future.

Nowadays all modern companies have switched or are in the process of switching to cloud technologies. In simple words, it is a server or even a virtual server located in the server rooms of large companies that themselves monitor the availability of electricity and a bunch of other parameters. You buy a service, whether it is file storage (Yes, this is also cloud technology) or an entire server (VPS — Virtual Personal Server).

Many companies even provide services for configuring and maintaining your servers or software, for example, 1C-Bitrix. In our company, you can order various solutions for cloud technologies, and our employees will provide comprehensive assistance in setting up and maintaining.

Conclusion

We hope that this information has brought at least a little understanding of how to set up remote office work, how you can save money and where you can look towards new technologies and solutions for the growth and development of your business. The Syncweb team wishes you and your loved ones health and well-being, do not lose hope and see the current situation as an opportunity, not a loss.

We will help you in setting up a remote office