Just about every week, anindependent agency owner or agent asks some version of thisquestion: "How is remote computing from hundreds or thousands ofmiles away just as secure as sitting at a computer in the mainoffice?"

Their disbelief is palpable, but there's no reason for it. It'strue: It's as secure to connect to the office server from acrossthe country as from across the hallway.

Secure remote access is practical because of two technologies:virtual private networks (VPNs) and remote desktop protocol(RDP).

Like many technological advances, virtual connections for remoteworkers began under another premise. Remote computing starteddecades ago so branch office computers could connect to centralservers in corporate data centers, using data lines leased fromtelephone companies. But the escalating costs of dedicatedtelephone circuits and the emergence of the Internet as a low-cost,ubiquitous data communications network changed remote computingbeginning in the mid-1990s.

Security and performance concerns initially stopped manytechnology professionals from using the Internet as a remote officeand user access network solution. But business users began todemand remote Internet access while on the go, so IT departmentswere obliged to wrestle with the security threats posed by theInternet. The unintended but favorable consequence: The solutionsthat tamped down on web security concerns, coincidentally,supported remote computing.

Because of the diminishing cost of Internet connectivity, ITpros turned to virtual private networks (VPNs) to replace expensivephone-line-fed secure private wide area networks (WANs).Technically, what happened was that the VPN technology used formany years in private frame-relay networks was altered to supportpublic Internet protocol VPNs. This enabled remote offices or usersto access the corporate network securely in the same way as thosesitting in the office.

Let's look briefly at how VPNs and RDPs make remote accesssecure and routine:

1. VPNs require remote users to be "authenticated" (i.e.,verified using security tools). Additionally, VPNs routinely securecorporate data behind firewalls and encrypt data. The technicalaspects aren't that interesting other than to tech geeks, but thebusiness result is relevant: All the functionality available tolocal users of a corporate network can be made available (orwithheld) from those accessing the central system remotely througha VPN.

That means routine office capabilities such as file sharing;access to printers and scanners; password-protected access todatabases; Intranets and other websites; and logons to agencymanagement systems can be accomplished remotely just as readily asthey can in the office where a server and tech manager arehoused.

2. RDP is a proprietary remote access technology developed byMicrosoft. The server or workstation in the agency and the clientlaptop or workstation at home requires RDP software in order tomake the connection.

The current server version of Microsoft'ssoftware is dubbed Remote Desktop Services, formerly TerminalServices. Its capabilities are included in the operating system ofevery workstation sold since Windows XP Professional first cameout, and one user license is bundled with the operating system ifthe remote computer access will be connected to a workstation. Ifthe remote computer access will be connected to a Windows 2003 or2008 server to support more than one user simultaneously, there isa per-user license fee for Remote Desktop Services.

Remote access also requires that the laptop or workstation athome utilize client software called remote desktop connection(RDC). RDC provides a graphical interface to connect the remotelaptop or workstation to the agency network natively or through aVPN. Translation: A remote user sees an icon on his or her desktopor laptop computer, clicks it, and now has a screen to log in fullyand securely to the company's computer environment.

What's needed on the server and in the office to make thishappen? The network must have an open TCP (transmission controlprotocol) port and either have a workstation within the corporatenetwork or a desktop services server with virtual desktops for theRDC user to operate remotely. These need some initial setup workbut typically add little cost to an existing system.

It's RDP that gives users access to shared files. One securityrequirement of RDP sessions is 128-bit encryption using an RC4encryption algorithm and support for transport layer security (TLS)1.0 on both the client and the server. Again, for the non-geeks outthere, these tools already exist in many environments.

RDP and VPN provide all the functionality and security needed tofully support remote workers as if they were working in the mainoffice. It's just like being there.