Remote Workforce
Is your office prepared to work remotely? TMPros has multiple options to prepare your network.
Remote Workforce
Expanding on our previous article discussing remote workforce options, TMPros has established a best practice implementation program for new and existing customers.
Feature Comparison
| VPN | Cloud Desktop | On-premise VDI/RDS | Remote Desktop Gateway | LogMeIn/GoToMyPC/TeamViewer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encrypted | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access | Limited Access Controls | Granular Security Per User | Granular Security Per Server | Equivalent to On-premise Controls | Not Enterprise Ready |
| Applications | Limited by connecting PC. | Installed by design and individual requests. | Applications set per server. | Already installed on your work PC. | Already installed on your work PC. |
| Availability | Solution Dependent | Always On | Dependent on on-premise infrastructure. | Dependent on on-premise individual user PCs. | Dependent on on-premise individual user PCs |
| Support Included | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Pros | Low Cost | Scalability Flexibility Expediency Security Cloud-Based Reduced Complexity | Scalability Security Reduced Complexity | Low Cost Security Expediency | Expediency |
| Cons | Vulnerable | Connectivity Dependent | Infrastructure Dependent Resource Requirement | Requires PC On-Premise | Cost Considered a security risk |
Implementation Timeline
Every business is different. The implementation timeline will depend greatly on the environment that already exists.
| VPN | Cloud Desktop | On-Premise VDI/RDS | Remote Desktop Gateway | LogMeIn/GoToMyPC/TeamViewer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Clients | Variable | 8 Hours | 3 Days (1) | 2 Days | 8 Hours |
| Existing Clients | Variable | 8 Hours | 2 Days (1) | 4 Hours | 4 Hours |
(1) Plus any required hardware acquisitions. Some environments may already have the required resources.
Estimated Costs
TMPros currently supports all of these options. Every organization has different requirements, but really, for most small businesses it comes down to cost. Predominantly TMPros recommends Remote Desktop Gateways for urgent preparation for the Coronavirus pandemic; however, organizations that are preparing for a permanent remote or multi-site workforce TMPros recommends the Cloud Desktop option.
| VPN | Cloud Desktop | On-Premise VDI/RDS | Remote Desktop Gateway | LogMeIn/GoToMyPC/TeamViewer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Clients | $400 + $30 per user + licensing | $30 per user + $100 per user per month | Estimated labor $1600 + licenses + hardware. | $800 + $30 per user | $30 per user + $360-$4,800 per year per PC |
| Existing Clients | $400 + licensing | $100 per user per month | Estimated labor $800 + licenses + hardware. | $800 + $10 per user | $10 per user + $360-$4,800 per year per PC |
| 5-Year Outlook | Initital Implementation + Licensing costs | Known Monthly Expense (Support is Included) | Implementation Costs + Infrastructure Cost + Support Costs | Implementation Costs + PC Upgrades + Support Costs | Implementation Costs + PC Upgrades + Support Costs + License Fees |