REA Remote Access Options
REA is not web based but it can be accessed via the web in several ways.
Single User
If you are using REA as a single user in your office and want to access REA from home you have several options:
1. Create a www.logmein.com or www.gotmypc.com account on your office PC. Leave the computer running when you leave the office. When you are at your home, start your PC there and you browse to the web site and enter the login and password for the service. In mere seconds, you see your office desktop. In this mode, you are actually running your computer remotely so all the computer work is being done at the office. The advantage of this system is that you can access REA anywhere you have a web connection when your office computer is on. At this writing, www.logmein.com is free for a single user while www.gotomypc.com is a monthly subscription.
2. Another option is a VPN connection. This is a Virtual Private Network and the difference is that a VPN encrypts and decrypts data as it is transferred between the two computers so it has high security but is slower as a result. The way it works is you connect to the web and then start the VPN session. Then you start REA and it connects to the server (which can be your desktop) in your office and opens the REA database located on the server/desktop. Setup of VPN requires the assistance of an IT professional.
Multi User Shared database hosted on your company’s server
Multi User Shared database hosted on your company’s server
1. VPN as mentioned above is the best option with REA connecting the server and then the REA database.
2. Terminal services may work; your IT department must set it up. This services allows multiple users to access the database and works the same as www.logmein.com for simultaneous access to the database.