External access to school files

[Little-Miss]

Right, there is another thread with the same question, but i got a bit lost.

 

I have a VPN connection to the school and obviously have access to the entire thing. My Head and Office Manager have both expressed an interest in something similar, but i would like theirs to be a bit more controlled.

 

So be nice, this is the realms of the unknown for me.

 

Soon out Admin Server is to be replaced so i will have a spare one knocking about. Ok for light duties i think.

 

I keep hearing Terminal services being thrown around so is there anyway i could use this box? (it has 2k3 on it)

 

Another thing that has been suggested is Sharepoint but again i wouldnt know where to start!

 

Any ideas/suggestions? Free would be nice too

 

Ta!

[kmount]

Depends what they want to do with this vpn but if its just for casual file / SIMS access then a terminal server will be perfect for you. (running sims on their computer over the vpn is a bit scary/slow)

 

It's then something that as time goes on I suspect more of your colleagues will want to be able to do it so if the terminal server is reasonably specced you can get a fair few users on it.

 

Licensing involved but nothing too dramatic I wouldn't have thought.

[SYNACK]

If your new server is a 2008 box you could install the RDP Gateway role on it and then use this to allow them to remote desktop into their own desktop computers at school. I don't think that this would need any additional licensing. They would have to leave their desktops on at school to connect to them but it would mean that they could just lock their sessions and continue at home from exactly where they left off while at work.

 

Kind of like VDI but without the centralized system running the OS.

[glennda]

The way we have it setup here is using SSL Explorer (now Adito or Open VPN ALS), it runs under tomcat on a linux server and uses java to create a web-based RDP connection to a computer inside school. (we use XP virtual machines) and can also be used for remote access to Network area's. If you decide on either of these and get stuck setting it up let me know as i have now setup 4 of these for us and a few local primaries in our area. This sounds pretty similar to the way SYNACK has mentioned above but uses linux rather then windows and therefore is free!

[kmount]

Two good suggestions there, still need licenses for glennda's offering with the virtual XPs but it's a nice idea indeed and gets around 'leaving' kit on.

[glennda]

Two good suggestions there, still need licenses for glennda's offering with the virtual XPs but it's a nice idea indeed and gets around 'leaving' kit on.

 

In the primary schools i have implemented this is they have just used RDP connections to machines in there office as they either don't have the kit to have virtual host's with 10 VM's or it was too expensive to implement. But our view (at my school) was as we where reducing the number of laptops we gave out to staff as they could access machines in a safer way via the internet, that the cost for the vm's was actually cheaper then replacement laptops for staff. We have quite clearly told staff that once that laptop physically breaks that they will not get it back and they have to use the VPN to connect which is the view of SLT as everybody knows budgets are tight and getting tighter. 99% of staff have machines at home they can use anyway (and probly prefer as are quicker etc) we have only had 2 complaints about this which have been directed to the head teacher to kindly put the members of staff in the place

[glennda]

Another thing to add to that idea is that as it runs in Java it works on any platform that is support via java so mac, linux aswell as windows which i think could be a limiting factor for some of the sharepoint ideas mentioned above. (this could be wrong but i have never used sharepoint!)

[Little-Miss]

Ohh now this sounds interesting...

 

Dont really wanna leave machines on but its an option....but im liking the sound of them being able to access their shares...

 

So without the Virtual XP's im ok for licensing?

 

Very interested Tony....

[glennda]

Ohh now this sounds interesting...

 

Dont really wanna leave machines on but its an option....but im liking the sound of them being able to access their shares...

 

So without the Virtual XP's im ok for licensing?

 

Very interested Tony....

 

Without the XP vm's its free. there is a very good howto here you just need to ignore the first couple of parts about creating a vm as you would install on the physical box.

 

With regards to leaving machines on - I would only set up remote access for the Head or whoever needs to be able to send messages to parents if the school is shut if you use something like callparents etc.

 

Toby

[Little-Miss]

ooh er, will definately be picking your brains Toby i think.

 

Looking forward to having a play now...

[glennda]

No problems, if you get stuck feel free to pm me and i will help in any way i can

 

Toby

[Kipling]

We also use SSL Explorer but we don’t bother with the RDP part for teachers or pupils, they just have access to their school network shares. The teachers find it quite intuitive to use and the kids of course have no trouble with it.

We run the windows version.

 

If you want a quick look at it give me a shout and I’ll pm you a username and password to try.

[SimpleSi]

We have quite clearly told staff that once that laptop physically breaks that they will not get it back

 

Well that def saves money but is it the best way to treat valuable staff.

 

I do use my own car on behalf of my employer - but then again - they pay me for its use

 

How much is the head going to pay the teachers for using their resources to work for the school

 

 

regards

 

Simon

[glennda]

Well that def saves money but is it the best way to treat valuable staff.

 

I do use my own car on behalf of my employer - but then again - they pay me for its use

 

How much is the head going to pay the teachers for using their resources to work for the school

 

 

regards

 

Simon

 

Not my policy! i just do as im told as such, although i agree with it as we are going down the route of replacing departmental laptop trolleys with ICT suites (we now have 9 and 10th opening in september) all with 30 machines in. We have just purchased 240 machines from stone with intel core i3 processors and 4gb ram for only a fraction more then a netbook which won't last the same amount of time as the desktop machine!

[oxide54]

we've got a portion of the website you login to and it gives you your home directory, and access to the shared areas.

 

also have a terminal server thing going on, where you can login and get a "desktop" which has SIMS and all the school applications on. you do have to be a member of the special club to use that though,

[cpjitservices]

Citrix, implement it on you website and you'll be able to login and access a virtual desktop with applications, we have Office and RMS Helpdesk up on ours, we go to the main college website and clock login which then takes you to Citrix Login page which is held on our servers in the college, once you login depending on what credentials you have assigned depends on what you can access.

 

All our staff can access the Virtual Desktop but can also access a directory structure which gives access to shares and their home documents folders and us Admins can access all the student and lecturer files and have rights for passwords etc etc.

[glennda]

Citrix, implement it on you website and you'll be able to login and access a virtual desktop with applications, we have Office and RMS Helpdesk up on ours, we go to the main college website and clock login which then takes you to Citrix Login page which is held on our servers in the college, once you login depending on what credentials you have assigned depends on what you can access.

 

All our staff can access the Virtual Desktop but can also access a directory structure which gives access to shares and their home documents folders and us Admins can access all the student and lecturer files and have rights for passwords etc etc.

 

all of which is accessible free through ssl exporer/adito

[oxide54]

all of which is accessible free through ssl exporer/adito

 

or accessible through citrix a commericaly supported package with a proper support program

[cpjitservices]

good old Citrix

[glennda]

or accessible through citrix a commericaly supported package with a proper support program

 

We havn't had a problem with it. Once it was setup it just works - the same for the two primarys and one special school i have installed it at. its just a website with a client which runs in java on the client machine running RDP sessions through ssl tunnels. The harder problem we have is keeping the xp vm's running!

 

There is also a commercial version which has the technical support behind it. but to be honest what is the point in paying for software when you can get it free which does exactly the same thing just in different ways.

Edited November 20, 2010 by glennda

[DrCheese]

We have SSL explorer here.. Brilliant piece of software.

Biggest problem with it now tho is that it's totally unsupported software so eventually it will need to be replaced. Annoyingly Adito seems dead in the water, it hasn't been updated for months either.

I have been unable to find anything that is as good as SSL explorer without spending £££ that we don't really have :/

[oxide54]

The harder problem we have is keeping the xp vm's running!

thats the point, use something integrated .

[glennda]

Its not really that much, but when first setup they where given 20gb harddisks and due to the high usage they fill up with profiles every 2 weeks as our script to remove ones only runs on startup and they are never off.

 

I am waiting for TS licenses to setup a 2k3 server

[Cue]

Its not really that much, but when first setup they where given 20gb harddisks and due to the high usage they fill up with profiles every 2 weeks as our script to remove ones only runs on startup and they are never off.

 

I am waiting for TS licenses to setup a 2k3 server

 

Set up a scheduled task to run it overnight: How To Schedule Tasks in Windows XP

[glennda]

Set up a scheduled task to run it overnight: How To Schedule Tasks in Windows XP

 

unfortuantly they don't come back up again - we are using Linux KVM for virtualisation and they turn off on reboot but only xp machines do it!