Remote file access

[DJ-CHRIS1]

Okay, here's the scenario.

Their is a Windows computer (Server 2003, which is behaving just like XP in this case) that hosts a bunch of files on a network. This is an active directory based network, and the drive is mounted at boot time.

Now, people need to be able to remotely access files from home computers. This remote access needs to be encrypted. Whatever I use needs the ability to authenticate against windows logins (The program will NOT keep a list of usernames and passwords).

My three major considerations are these.

WebDAV - Encrypted, and built into Server 2003. Authenticates against windows logons. Problem is it can be very hard for users to use.

SFTP - Can't find any good server programs for this.

SCP - Can't find any good server programs for this, the most common (openssh) cannot authenticate against windows logons.

 

[muz]

i havent had any experience in implementing these sort of things but i have been an end user in a few VPN situations and if i where you i would simply use the first one and write all the end users a guide on how to get their files from the system and give them all a guide , obv depending on the size of the user base , then any individual problems you can deal with yourself

this is what happened with one of my schools vpn systems they installed the system checked it worked themselves then wrote a manual for all the end users only a short step by step guide sort of thing and then any indicidual problems where sorted as they arrose but the step by step worked for most people

 

[DJ-CHRIS1]

i havent had any experience in implementing these sort of things but i have been an end user in a few VPN situations and if i where you i would simply use the first one and write all the end users a guide on how to get their files from the system and give them all a guide , obv depending on the size of the user base , then any individual problems you can deal with yourself

this is what happened with one of my schools vpn systems they installed the system checked it worked themselves then wrote a manual for all the end users only a short step by step guide sort of thing and then any indicidual problems where sorted as they arrose but the step by step worked for most people

I don't want to setup VPN, that would give people full access to everything, and poses quite the security risk. Also, the router is crap at being a VPN endpoint, and SBS 2003 won't be a VPN endpoint unless it has an inside and outside network connection, which it does not.

As for the guide, obviously going to write one, but Webdav on XP / Vista as a client is just soo terrible that I don't think anyone could use it.

 

[muz]

I don't want to setup VPN, that would give people full access to everything, and poses quite the security risk. Also, the router is crap at being a VPN endpoint, and SBS 2003 won't be a VPN endpoint unless it has an inside and outside network connection, which it does not.

As for the guide, obviously going to write one, but Webdav on XP / Vista as a client is just soo terrible that I don't think anyone could use it.

iu wasnt saying you should setup a vpn just using my experience as an example i know you wouldnt setup a vpn , as for the technical issuess i cant be much of a big help there sorry

 

[root]

well microsofts advice is to use VPN's/IPsec tunnels...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...ad5-9a0a-4bf6-8b00-41084b783e20.mspx?mfr=true
to me this almost seems like they just looked for the best work around to avoid making a proper sucure FTP server

http://www.wftpd.com/wftpdpro.htm

http://www.serv-u.com/

and according to this thread (http://www.g6ftpserver.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1093)

gene6 http://www.gene6.com/ does this as well.

I've never used any of these programs, but there are free trials available with each so you can test them out and see which is the best one.

the last way I'd consider doing this would be to make the files available via a secure webserver (https for encryption), but that's not going to be as transparant as an FTP server.

hope that helps.

 

[DJ-CHRIS1]

well microsofts advice is to use VPN's/IPsec tunnels...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...ad5-9a0a-4bf6-8b00-41084b783e20.mspx?mfr=true
to me this almost seems like they just looked for the best work around to avoid making a proper sucure FTP server

http://www.wftpd.com/wftpdpro.htm

http://www.serv-u.com/

and according to this thread (http://www.g6ftpserver.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1093)

gene6 http://www.gene6.com/ does this as well.

I've never used any of these programs, but there are free trials available with each so you can test them out and see which is the best one.

the last way I'd consider doing this would be to make the files available via a secure webserver (https for encryption), but that's not going to be as transparant as an FTP server.

hope that helps.

Thanks for the help, I was looking at free, but I now know I may need to pay...

If any of those 3 properly pay attention to NTFS permissions given to the user authenticated (instead of who's running the program), they should work great

Also, tried WebDAV again. Connecting to a WebDAV server from Vista SP1 64bit resulted in my computer completely locking up and having to power cycle it.