Where's the Remote?

We all have heard stories about that panicked user call in the middle of the weekend to fix a broken server or restart a downed connection. One of the most productive tools a VAR can use is a Web-based remote control product.

Unlike client-based products of the past such as Symantec's pcAnywhere and RealVNC's VNC, there is no need for software on the client computer, and the remote control session happens through a small piece of software that works with a Web browser.

There are two main products in this space: LogMeIn's Rescue and Citrix Systems' GoToAssist. Citrix used to sell its software through the channel but now is selling directly to the user, while LogMeIn offers a partner program (https://secure.logmein.com/go.asp?page=partner_overview), which allows resellers to monitor all their customers' PCs via an online portal. The program also provides joint marketing programs.

"Being able to address issues without travel time is incredible," said Mike Loughery, a principal of Lockree Computer Services, in El Cerrito, Calif. Michael Post, technical manager at Intelligent Time Systems, in Swindon, England, said remote control "has revolutionized our support offering."

"All of our customers love it, and resolution times have fallen by 40 percent. Best of all, it was incredibly easy to set up; we were up and running in about 5 minutes," Post said.

Some customers have been impressed enough with the services VARs can provide with LogMeIn's products that they requested the VAR expand the reach of the products, he said.

Solution providers can profit from instant messaging.

"We use LogMeIn IT Reach on our customers' mission-critical servers so we can be alerted of any issues before they impact the business," said Andrew Bensinger, president of Halogen, in Bethesda, Md. "And once they see the service levels that we can provide with IT Reach, they usually request it for their workstations as well."

More than just for break/fix, Web-based remote control can extend a VAR's geographic reach. "LogMeIn's technology enables regional IT companies to become international, literally overnight," said Keith Schiehl, president of Rent-A-Geek Computer Services, in Vernon, British Columbia. The company specializes in 24/7 support.

There are other features of Web-based remote control products that can be useful for VARs. One reseller maintains a library of its remote control session recordings for training purposes.

"GoToAssist makes you so much more capable for diagnostic purposes and provides an excellent revenue stream," said Jeanne Johnson, a principal at Server Centric Consulting, in St. Louis. "You can also record a remote control session as a movie and use this for compliance risk mitigation and training purposes, too."

Of course, without a working Internet connection or if there is a faulty network adapter on the target PC, these remote control products are useless. Still, they can work for the vast majority of monitoring and servicing tasks.

The only other downside may be determining which version in Citrix's or LogMeIn's extensive product line makes the most sense. Both companies offer a wide selection of products for free personal use between two computers and for enterprise use through gateways that require some software to be installed on the target computer.

LogMeIn's offerings, for example, include a free personal version, a "rescue" version that can be downloaded on the fly, and a "reach" version that supports remote printing and file transfer. LogMeIn also offers an online wizard that asks you a series of questions and makes recommendations based on your answers.

Both companies also sell versions that include centralized administration and remote monitoring, along with a hosted service that can use a gateway to broker connections between computers.

This can be useful in situations such as remote monitoring and administration of servers. It is valuable for VARs to study the comparison charts on both vendors' Web sites before choosing the appropriate product to use.