Hey James,

Nice idea, but you will still be using 2 or more licenses. If you have it installed on one machine, this counts as one license in use. If you are using it remotely from another PC, this counts as two. If two of you are dialled into the server, using Office at the same time, this also counts as a third. Also, if your looking at having multiple remote connections to this server, what you would also need to buy is terminal services licenses as well.

Ouch, Mr Gates knows how to make money!

OK, having had some serious thought and looking at my bank account, is it possible for me just to install MS Pro on the PC at the factory and do the same on my laptop at home. Can I then remotely dial into my PC at work from my laptop at home via the internet. I understand I will still need a static IP for the PC at the factory. So basically can I remotely connect two PC with XP Pro on them together via the internet and use it as though I were sat at it?

I think this looks the best way forward and I will look at getting a server etc when I really need it, as hopefully if the above works then that would be good enough for now.

The only issue I would have left is that I am not solving my backup issue. I could use an external HDD to backup weekly or every couple of days. This way at least I would have a backup which would go home with me and so if there was a fire or burglary at the factory I would still have a fairly up to date backup with me off site.

Thanks again for all your help
James

Hey James,

Yes, two XP machines will be fine.

That also sounds like a good idea to have a backup HDD. It's probably the cheapest option. If you had the money, you could have a proper backup solution, such as a tape drive with Veritas installed on that PC/Server.

Thanks madmonkey. What will the performance be like? I have an 8 megabit connection at both my home and the factory. I guess it wont actually be like I was sitting at the PC but will there be long waiting times whilst it loads or just a small loss in performance?

Thanks again for all your help it has been most appreciated.
Cheers
James

To be honest james, it really isn't too bad at all. There is obviously a delay, but on 8mb were talking miliseconds.

Hi James
It is possible to operate Remote desktop successfully without a static IP by using a domain name and a program (such as DirectUpdate) that updates the domain name with your current IP address. There may also be other methods however I think having a static IP is probably the simplest one.