Remote Users Logging On

[Divaldo]

We're going to have a set of 20 laptops in a remote building a few miles away from our school and need our students to be able to log onto them.

The building is providing a wireless network with internet access.

 

Can anyone advise on what they think is the best way for us to be logging on?

 

We have M365 so I think my options are:

 

- Configure a VPN, join the laptops to our domain on-site then take them to the remote location and have users login via the VPN.

- Place a DC in the remote location (bleugh!).

- Join the laptops to Azure and get students to sign in with their M365 accounts.

 

Are there any other realistic options?

If I go for the third option and have students using OneDrive to save their files, are there any pitfalls I need to watch out for?

 

Any thoughts or advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

[Oaktech]

This sounds like it's time for a cloud-first strategy...

[mavhc]

Install a site to site vpn device is the other option, but that depends on your 3rd party internet access people

 

Do you have licences that give you Intune?

[Divaldo]

Thanks - no, no InTune licences...

[pete]

InTune or similar would create the least friction.

 

We're assuming you don't own the building and whoever does just provides DHCP, DNS and an Internet feed, is that right?

 

What filtering is in place at the building? Can you point the laptops to your usual filtering?

 

OneDrive - just make sure files-on-demand is configured.

 

Depending on how secure the building/laptop storage is and if staff will also be using then - Bitlocker the laptops.

[Divaldo]

Great suggestions, thank you.

 

Yeah, the building owner is providing DHCP, DNS and internet. We can use our usual web filtering and OneDrive OD will work fine. Good point re: Bit Locker.

 

Thank you!

 

I'm just gonna need to move the students away from mapped home drives and over to OneDrive a little sooner than planned.