Administering Remote Server Apps

The cloud was always meant to be mobile. The big ideas surrounding the cloud ? namely, the access and control of massive sets of data ? have piqued the curiosity of IT professionals for years. Since then, cloud service providers have tapped into this reality on a large scale by creating and developing cloud services that are also accessible through smart phone apps. But this full realization doesn?t stop at just smartphone app versions of large-scale cloud servers?new apps make it possible to actually manage large sets of cloud servers from your smart phone.

Remote Access Servers 101: What They Are & Why They Matter

? What are they? ? Remote access server technology is nothing new. In very basic language, a remote access server is a server not located on a physical or local computer. In most cases, a remote access server is run externally from an external computer or group of computers sharing computing resources among each other. The big idea when it comes to remote access servers is that they enable you to access data from any computer where you?re able to log into the remote server?s administrative settings. In many cases, or depending on the size and type of an organization, remote access servers are part of large virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow users to manage servers, launch applications and manage tasks from any type of computer.

? Why do they matter? ? For any business or organization relying on large sets of data that must change multiple hands within a workflow, access is a key component of any infrastructural system. Take the simple act of downloading a file for instance. Say you?re in the middle of downloading an important file, app or document and the connection is either running slow, or you?re in a hurry to be somewhere else. Within the remote access framework, you can simply pause the download, log out of your server and then continue the download elsewhere.

Some large-scale hosting providers have even cobbled together powerful smartphone applications that allows possible for cloud server administrators to remotely manage and administer server processes from nearly anywhere in the world.

Two Powerful Remote Server Management Apps

1. Rackspace ? The latest version release of the Rackspace Hosting application lets a specific user log into the Rackspace platform, and manage, resize and build new cloud servers right from the application itself. In most cases, new cloud servers can be created from backups of the main servers. The app can also perform both hard and soft reboots, and delete active servers. As is normally the case with all things Rackspace, the app is open-source. If you?re looking to fuel the app developer deep within, simply download the source code and begin contributing to the app.

2. Desktop Connect ? While Desktop Connect isn?t necessarily an official Windows Server client, it is a way to connect to your Windows servers remotely with an iOS application. Using the iOS app is simple enough. Start by opening the app; create a profile for the Windows server you want to log into; then enter the IP address as well as any other login credentials to connect to the server. For the Windows IT professionals looking to shed a bulky laptop and manage remote servers comfortably, this may just be the perfect option.

Going Mobile Equals Staying Relevant

Smart phones, tablet PCs and other mobile devices have paved a way for remote access server management to become more?um?remote. In the future it?s likely there will be a major insurgence of cloud server providers that step into the mobile app development space.

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