Cloud On The Cheap

Larger companies are working on strategic initiatives to move their in-house data centers to the cloud. The advantages are both financial and the ability to work from just about any location, fixed or mobile. But what about smaller operations? Is there any way to gain some of these advantages for the SMB?

Here’s a cloud app that you may be overlooking because it was around long before the cloud was cool. You probably don’t even think “cloud” when you hear the name. Yet, cloud it is. The application? GoToMyPC.

GoToMyPC? Isn’t that the software that lets you remotely log into your computer? Indeed it is. Think about it, though. How much difference is there philosophically between bringing up the screen from your desktop PC while you are sitting at a restaurant, and then running all the apps that are back at the office, and running those same apps from a private cloud?

In this case, you have created your own private cloud without the need to contract for Infrastructure or Software as a Service.

The idea behind GoToMyPC is that you most likely have one major computing environment but would like to be able to use it wherever you happen to be. For smaller companies that primary computer is likely a PC running Windows or a Mac running OS X. Out in the field you may be accessing that computer with a laptop, notebook, netbook or even and iPad. Yes, if you are a GoToMyPC subscriber, there’s a free app for that in the iTunes App Store.

GoToMyPC might rightly be called a remote desktop. What it does is replicate the desktop of your base computer on a remotely located computer or iPad. You see just what you would if you were sitting at your desk. You can then run applications, look up data and even transfer files back and forth between your office PC and your remote PC.

How does it do that? The answer is in downloadable software that runs on the PC you want to access. It gives screen, keyboard and mouse access to the computer that you are logged into somewhere else. All of this is done over encrypted links so that you don’t lose security just because you are operating remotely.

Since this system depends on the computer you want to access rather than some server in the data center, you’ll need to leave your office machine on in order to gain access. But, hey, if you wanted to access any other cloud application the servers powering that app would have to be up and running. Strictly speaking, there is a GoToMyPC communications server that relays encrypted data packets between host and remote computers. You know, a cloud based server.

The PC to PC version of GoToMyPC has more features than the Mac version, but both give you remote access to either a Mac or PC from a Mac, PC or iPad. GoToMyPC has the ability to let you access up to 20 computers remotely. Larger companies can get a professional or corporate version that adds more users and an administrator. A thousand users? No problem. The corporate version is just what you need.

Does this sound like something you could make good use of? Why not try it free for 30 days and then see if you can live without it anymore. If you find you can’t, it’s an affordable business and professional tool that expands the capability of the computers you already have. Get started with your 30 day free trial of GoToMyPC right now.

G.ho.st as the Machine

If a really pale guy named Casper shows you a virtual computer online, you may be seeing a ghost. Not a ghost ghost. Just G.ho.st. Nothing spooky about it. It's just the Global Hosted Operating SysTem that you'll find at http://g.ho.st/

Oh, don't be such a fraidy cat. Click through and see what you can do when your operating system is online instead of sitting on your desktop.

I did. The home page looked cool so I clicked on the start button to launch the Gh.o.st virtual computer, affectionately called a VC. Hey, isn't a VC someone who funds this sort of thing? Well, anyway, the next thing that happened is that it scared my old Compaq to death. I got a script message saying the system was running slow. So I bailed out and re-launched the Gh.o.st on my newer Lenovo laptop.

Now the screen looked like a real desktop, littered with all sorts of junk including an analog clock, media player, Google search box, Yahoo! World News headlines, and a bunch of apps. There are a couple of yellow stickies saying that if you register, you can upload files to your G.ho.st Drive with 5 GB of free storage. You also get to use G.ho.st Mail and Chat that works with your favorite IM service.

I'll suggest you click on the icon that looks like a bus and take the G.ho.st Tour. It's text, not Flash or video, that describes what you'll find on the system and how you can use it. Note that this isn't a "real" computer in that you can't load any of your own software and expect it to run. The software applications are SaaS (software as a service) hosted apps that mimic typical office programs you are familiar with. There is a Bulk Uploader that looks a lot like an FTP program that lets you upload files to store or work on.

So why would you want a virtual computer if you need a physical computer to get to it? Probably the big reason is so that you can access your stuff anywhere, anytime you can get to any Internet connected computer. Log-in from home, work, or public access computer and there's your desktop just like you left it. All your files and tools are right there ready to use. You can tote your own PC or mooch one from a friend and you'll still get the same experience.

Well, sort of. As I mentioned, my almost-last-century Compaq couldn't handle the load. The FAQs recommend at least 512 MB RAM and a broadband connection of at least 1.5 Mbps. Your browser can be Microsoft IE, Firefox or Safari, but you'll need a Flash plug-in that is at least at version 8. Honestly, I thought the whole system was a little poky even with a computer that easily met the specs. But, hey, it's only in alpha deployment right now. Give an cyber specter a break!

The closest parallel to G.ho.st that I can think of is remote access software such as GoToMyPC. But with that setup you need to have your host machine running and Internet connected at all times. Otherwise there's no PC to go to. G.ho.st is out there computing somewhere in the "cloud" as they say. The ghost-boosters keep it up and running.

Get it? Ghost boosters? Yeah. Well, if you ain't afraid of no ghosts then try the guest account or register as a user and put a G.ho.st in your machine.

Take Your Office PC With You

Road warriors and telecommuters have their trusty notebook computers ready to do business. But what happens when you discover, to your horror, that the files you need are still back on the office desktop PC and nowhere else? Do you live without or get in the car and make that long drive back. Oh, you've just flown to the opposite coast? I guess it's live without. Or is it?

What if you could have your desktop PC delivered anywhere you happen to be at a moment's notice? Wouldn't that completely eliminate the anxiety of whether you've loaded the right files and all of them? It sure would. In fact, you wouldn't need duplicates of all your files. You wouldn't need the applications either. Just your trusty road machine and an application that magically turns any computer into your office computer.

That application is GoToMyPC and you can try it free. GoToMyPC falls into category of remote access software or KVM application. KVM, which stands for Keyboard Video Mouse, is widely used in data centers to operate multiple computers from one central location. You select the computer you want to operate and your keyboard, video and mouse are actually running that machine just as if they were directly connected to it. Basic KVM adapters use switches and wires to make these connections. An IP based KVM application can run on the corporate LAN or over the Internet.

GoToMyPC gives you access to your computer over the Internet from wherever you happen to be. All you need is the software and a broadband connection. You register, download and install the GoToMyPC client on the host computer. That's usually your office machine, although it can be any PC you choose. Have several PCs you need to access? Set them all up. It only takes a few minutes each.

Access the desired host computer over the Internet using any other PC and a Web Browser at GoToMyPC. A self-launching plug-in will give you access to your host PC. Your screen will look just the way it would if you were sitting in front of the host. Your keyboard and mouse operate the host from wherever you happen to be. You can't tell if the computer is in the next room or across the country. That's the beauty of remote access.

Go ahead. Check your email, access files, run applications, print documents. You ARE operating your host computer. Oh, but is it secure? GoToMyPC uses AES encryption using 128-bit keys and dual passwords. You have the option to use one-time passwords for the maximum in security.

How do you buy this service? You pay month to month or buy an annual plan to save 25%. That includes unlimited access, ability to move the host software from machine to machine as needed, and all service and software upgrades. Tech support is also included. There are special packages for IT people who need to administer multiple users, and for corporate-wide use.

But before you shell out anything, you really need to give this a try and see what it can do for you. Get a Free Trial of GoToMyPC plus 10% Off!