Last month I wrote a column about backing up files to the “Cloud” or online on someone else’s servers. You could back up these files. Then if you needed them at any time from any computer you could quite easily get them. Maria wrote and asked me if there was a way that she could get actual files from her desktop computer using her own notebook computer.
You know that if I am writing about it here I have an answer. However, I still strongly suggest using Microsoft’s Live Mesh to copy your files up to the cloud and sync them with all of your computers. It is very simple to use.
If you don’t choose to use Live Mesh you may want to consider a VPN application.
A VPN is a network which can make use of public Internet connections that allow you to connect to a computer in another location. The really good thing about them is that if you VPN to your desktop computer from your notebook in a public place all of the files you send and receive are heavily encrypted for security. This encryption means that no one else can intercept information sent between your two computers.
So what does that mean? Well, if you are checking your email on your computer while at the local coffee shop or an airport someone “could” hack into the system retrieving your email account’s username and password. Taken a step further, your username and password for your bank account could be obtained if you logged in to check account balance.
You can picture it like this. When you use a VPN your computer connects to any internet connection but when you start the VPN software a bulletproof tunnel is created between your two computers. Only your two systems can access it. Now of course, someone could look over your shoulder and get that info too, so look around before you type anything private on your computer in public places.
There are many VPNs available but I have been using one named LogMeIn-Hamachi which is free. This one does all of the above and also will let you log into the C Drive of your non-local computer and grab any file you need from it. This isn’t really a backup system but an access and security system which I and many others recommend.
It is easy to set up if you have some computer savvy, but not for the beginner. When you try it out let me know how you like it and how easy it was for you to use. The site has lots of helpful information.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 4:31 am and is filed under Columns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
