VPN General Question

I'm new to this newsgroup and to Windows 2000 Server technology, but have
worked several years in designing websites and some CGI programming, so am
not a tech newbie. I work parttime for a small business and have been asked
to find a way to share program files over the internet (i.e., allow users in
another city to access shared data files on our server, instead of emailing
files back and forth). We use Windows 2000 server, but so far has only been
used for file-sharing. We have a firewall (Watchguard Firebox).

My question is: what is the best way of doing this? I'm told using VPN
technology would do this, but I'm just not sure where the best place to
start is and what exact technology I should use. This will not be
large-scale; only 2 or 3 people will need to access the program files
remotely. What would be the simplest, but secure, way of doing this?

Thank you in advance for your time,

James Kennedy

Yes, VPN. The Watchguard Firebox may come with the VPN. Or you can setup VPN
on 2000 server and it is easy.
--
For more and other information, go to http://www.ChicagoTech.net

Don't send e-mail or reply to me except you need consulting services.
Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more help.

Robert Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN, Anti-Virus, Tips & Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties.

"James Kennedy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm new to this newsgroup and to Windows 2000 Server technology, but have
> worked several years in designing websites and some CGI programming, so am
> not a tech newbie. I work parttime for a small business and have been
> asked
> to find a way to share program files over the internet (i.e., allow users
> in
> another city to access shared data files on our server, instead of
> emailing
> files back and forth). We use Windows 2000 server, but so far has only
> been
> used for file-sharing. We have a firewall (Watchguard Firebox).
>
> My question is: what is the best way of doing this? I'm told using VPN
> technology would do this, but I'm just not sure where the best place to
> start is and what exact technology I should use. This will not be
> large-scale; only 2 or 3 people will need to access the program files
> remotely. What would be the simplest, but secure, way of doing this?
>
> Thank you in advance for your time,
>
> James Kennedy
>
>

Use Remote Access VPN (single user per connection). The Watchguard box can
do that just fine on its own,..we use one here. In the Watchguard "lingo"
it would be the "Remote VPN" as opposed to Watchguard's "Branch Office VPN"
that you do not want to use.

The "Branch Office VPN" is for connecting two or more entire LANs together
that is transparent to the users on each end. It is much more complex to set
up and I have never done it here.

Don't be afraid to get Watchguard to help,.. they know thier product and the
proprietary ways they so things better than anyone else would.



"James Kennedy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm new to this newsgroup and to Windows 2000 Server technology, but have
> worked several years in designing websites and some CGI programming, so am
> not a tech newbie. I work parttime for a small business and have been
asked
> to find a way to share program files over the internet (i.e., allow users
in
> another city to access shared data files on our server, instead of
emailing
> files back and forth). We use Windows 2000 server, but so far has only
been
> used for file-sharing. We have a firewall (Watchguard Firebox).
>
> My question is: what is the best way of doing this? I'm told using VPN
> technology would do this, but I'm just not sure where the best place to
> start is and what exact technology I should use. This will not be
> large-scale; only 2 or 3 people will need to access the program files
> remotely. What would be the simplest, but secure, way of doing this?
>
> Thank you in advance for your time,
>
> James Kennedy
>
>