In some cases, being able to access your critical files from anywhere might be more important than having the capability to access your network remotely. If there are certain files you constantly need access to as a road warrior, one additional technique that you might consider is having your company set up an Internet-based FTP server, or even using one of the secure pay-for-space online storage providers like XDrive.
Setting up an FTP server is a relatively quick and painless task when using software like Internet Information Services (IIS), which is included with operating systems like Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and even Windows XP. Remote users with an Internet connection can then use software like Internet Explorer or CuteFTP to upload and download files as necessary, without the worry of email attachment size restrictions. If your company stores its Web site on an ISP’s server, check to see whether they offer additional FTP space in the package, since this might be enough to meet your needs.
If your space requirements are largely, online storage providers like XDrive provide excellent value. Providing up to gigabytes of space if necessary, XDrive allows you to upload and download your files securely via a Web browser, or even save files to your online storage space via Windows Explorer, in much the same way that you might save files to drive C: on your hard disk. In cases where users on the road simply need to have access to files like PowerPoint presentations or marketing documents from anywhere, using an online storage provider can often be a much more efficient and effective method than going through the trouble of implementing the other remote access technologies discussed.
