Best solution for remote desktop access (1 Viewer)

Hi there, I have a multi-user Access 2013 app . In order to access the application remotely I'm looking for a solution that I can install on a virtual machine and then connect to from anywhere. Can anyone recommend solutions to implement such a scenario? It's especially important that the solution supports sessions as there will be several users who want to use the app simultanously. Can I implement this with the Windows Remote App? Have you guys experience with this? Thank you for your feedback and input.
Frank

Virtual machines exist in a kind of 'sandbox' so they are isolated from the rest of the software on the workstation. That is why you can, for example, run different versions of Windows / Office on a VM - they are totally separate in terms of operation.
So AFAIK, you can't run an application on a VM from outside that VM even on the same workstation. Therefore, unless I'm wrong about that, you can't do so remotely either.

However it is possible to run an Access app remotely using e.g. Terminal Services or Citrix. That will allow several users to remote in at once but they still each need to run separate copies of the Access app or corruption will occur.

If you just want to setup a conference type session, then use something like Teamviewer to facilitate that.

There is nothing special about a virtual machine. It can join a network and access files just like any other machine. Vast numbers of servers run as VMs.

However a VM won't help you support multiple users any more than a physical machine.

Terminal Services (AKA Remote Desktop) running on a Windows workstation will allow one remote session. This can work where a user who normally uses the workstation is working remotely sometimes.

To support multiple sessions you need a Remote Desktop server (either physical or virtual) and RD licences for each connection. They can run the same Access executable in this environment but each would need to be licenced or use the free Runtime version. They need to run separate copies of the Access Front End.

Thank you, so I need to go for a Remote Desktop server I guess. The app is deployed via Runtime. Can you recommend any Remote Desktop server software? Or will the windows inhouse solution be sufficient? Thanks, Frank

I doubt the windows solution will meet your needs - I've not tried it but I believe only one person can be connected at a time. See this link about allowing others connecting to your pc https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...-services/clients/remote-desktop-allow-access

usual way would be to pay an internet based provider unless you have the budget for a server.

Note that each user will need their own login and space so they can each run their own copy of the front end.

CJ_London said:

I doubt the windows solution will meet your needs - I've not tried it but I believe only one person can be connected at a time. See this link about allowing others connecting to your pc https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...-services/clients/remote-desktop-allow-access

Click to expand...

The single connection is just for an ordinary workstation. Servers can take dozens but the licencing costs.

Access really isn't the solution for remote access. Better with a web based application.

As Galaxiom said to do this with multiple users you will need a Remote Desktop Server and a RDP license per user. You can them install a Runtime solution for each users separate login on that server.

I develop on our US offices RDP Server from the UK, and it runs fine.

You can put a Remote desktop applicationshortcut on the end users local machines and depending the resources of the server and a half decent network connections it will almost run as if it was local.

If the RDP Server is on the same physical backbone / infrastructure as the BE database then it can actually perform really well, as the comms between the FE and BE are really good.

As an aside -we use a well known Enterprise accounts package and the only way remote access works is via RDP. There is no sensible alternative for it, until we head to the cloud. (Really Big bucks!)