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I'm looking for a product recommendation (open or commercial) that will allow remote access to customer sites for tech support purposes. We need to be able to gain access to help troubleshoot problems on servers. Currently end up using anything from RDP on public IP, to various VPNs that clients happen to have, to webex-type sessions that require lots of interaction from both sides to get things working. This often means a problem that could take 10 minutes to solve takes an extra 30+ minutes messing around trying to get a connection up.

There are multiple customer sites, which should NOT have access to each other. At each site, there is anywhere from 1 to 8 servers (Windows 2003 or 2008) that need to be accessed.

  • Support connection to machines even if they're behind a firewall/router with no public IP
  • Be able to selectively allow/deny access from customer site.
  • Ability to be "always on", so client doesn't have to do anything (unless they're using the allow/deny option) to allow connection
  • Customer site should not be able to connect outbound to anywhere else (our systems, or other customer sites)
  • Support multiple users from our end
  • If not a VPN connection (where RDP could be used over top), should support:
    • Remote desktop access, including copy/paste
    • File transfers
  • Preferably would have some way to list all remote systems, showing online/offline.

Anyone have any suggestions?

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4 Answers 4

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LogMeIn Rescue or LogMeIn Pro might fit the bill.

https://secure.logmein.com/US/home.aspx

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One of the tools I've been using, teamviewer ( http://www.teamviewer.com ) is really simple to use, from both your side and customer side. It allows remote controlling of customers machines with real ease (and no admin rights needed if the customer does not have admin rights on his machine), and servers can be configured to be accessed whenever you need.

It works really well behind firewalls and VPN, support multiple customers, file transfer etc etc...

And it's not really expensive :D ( from 500 to 2000 €, lifetime license. and you can try the product with full features for free)

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Take a look at RHUB, it has many of the features you're looking for.

http://www.rhubcom.com/

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Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but Fog Creek Copilot has many of the features you mentioned, specifically the ability to work regardless of firewalls, VPNs, etc. For most clients, having them download and run the connection utility should be very simple, and for the servers they do have the one-click connect option where the connection tool can be installed on the server instead of run as-needed each time you need to get in. If it's used regularly, their pricing is reasonable.

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  • I didn't know about their OneClick thing -- thanks. It gets a little pricey though if you have a lot of OneClick clients -- 10 included (@ $500/yr), then $50/yr for each additional.
    – gregmac
    Apr 29, 2010 at 5:42

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