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i would like to allow my company employee, to connect from outside office to our server using the browser. Does exists some product that emulate a 'virtual web desktop' (like an RDP session, for example) which allow to lunch our company standard software (Office, our ERP ...), browse files and folder ... without the 'limitation' of a web... so again like an RDP ? Thanks in advance

stighy
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3 Answers3

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Yes, there's an entire class of products build around this use case. Citrix XenApp, VMware View, or a straight-up MS Remote Desktop Gateway?

Shane Madden
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  • Are they client-less ? In other words, do they need a client software or the browser is enough ? – stighy Jan 04 '12 at 19:10
  • @stighy The VMware and Citrix solutions, yes - but I believe both of those depend on having Java available in lieu of a client install.. Additionally, `mstsc.exe` exists on every Windows install this side of 1999, and there's XenApp and View clients available on the big tablet/smartphone operating systems, too. – Shane Madden Jan 04 '12 at 19:14
  • Well, the pre-requisite of mstsc.exe is a good solution and a acceptable compromise. So i think Remote Desktop gateway is the answer i was looking for. Thanks! – stighy Jan 04 '12 at 19:20
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    You would not want the "Gateway" as much as the "Remote Desktop Server". While the former allows for SSL-secured traffic tunneling over HTTP for Remote Desktop traffic, the "Remote Desktop Server" (or the "Terminal Server" in older notations) provides the access to the operating system and the installed applications through the Remote Desktop Protocol. There is also something called ["Remote Desktop Web Access"](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731923(v=ws.10).aspx) which builds a landing page and includes an ActiveX control (mstsc ActiveX wrapper really) for easier access. – the-wabbit Jan 04 '12 at 23:19
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Open Source alternative is called VNC. VNC also has a option to run as a web server / web service (although it still loads an applet or something).

Take a look at TightVNC. Best part is, you can find a server and/or client for just about any platform.

Tim
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I think Oracle Secure Global Desktop [1] (ex. Sun, ex. Tarantella, ex. SCO) provides you with what you are looking for. Applications can be accessed using a web interface. There's no need to install additional Software (although a JRE is required, I guess). Unfortunately it looks like the online demo [2] is no longer accessible.

[1] http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/virtualization/061996.html [2] https://sgddemo.sun.com/

aka
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