Expertcity GoToMyPC and GraphOn GO-Global XP Enterprise Edition

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1 Remote Access Technologies: A Comparison of Expertcity GoToMyPC and GraphOn GO-Global XP Enterprise Edition Contents: Executive Summary...1 Remote Access Overview...2 Intended Application... 2 Revolutionary Solution: Expertcity s GoToMyPC... 2 Comparison of GO-Global XP and GoToMyPC...3 Software and Hardware Investments... 3 Installation... 4 Configuration for Firewalls... 5 Security... 5 Ease of Establishing a Connection... 6 Guest Invitation... 7 Support Costs... 8 Reporting... 8 Platform Compatibility... 9 Conclusion...10 GoToMyPC is a cost-effective way to roll out and manage a remoteaccess plan for telecommuters, work extenders and mobile professionals. GO-Global XP is a softwarebased application deployment system developed for accessing Windows-based applications via the Internet from a variety of devices and platforms. When compared to GO-Global XP, GoToMyPC offers significant advantages. GoToMyPC is easier to set up, more available over networks with firewalls, and easier to use. Expertcity, Inc Hollister Avenue Santa Barbara, CA Expertcity, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 Executive Summary Individuals and companies are looking for ways to provide cost-effective network access for their remote, mobile, and telecommuting needs. Remote control solutions such as GoToMyPC and application deployment solutions like GO- Global XP are one way to provide this access. With GoToMyPC, you can roll out and manage a remote access plan in minutes. It is a highly secure and cost-effective way for individuals or employees to access their computers and network resources remotely. Employees simply access and work on their computers using any Web browser. This white paper demonstrates that GoToMyPC has significant advantages over GO-Global XP. The advantages include: Software and Hardware Investments. GoToMyPC does not require any additional hardware or software to enable remote access for all individuals within your company. GO-Global XP requires hardware and some software purchases for basic operation. Installation. GoToMyPC is completely software-based and allows for a simple installation and setup that can be performed by computer novices in less than 5 minutes. GO-Global XP requires a delicate installation that requires the assistance of network and systems engineers. Configuration for Firewalls. GoToMyPC can transparently transit almost all firewalls, so no additional network configuration is necessary. GO-Global XP requires that you establish incoming TCP/IP and UDP connections, often dictating that the firewall be modified to allow this connection. Security. GoToMyPC is pre-configured for maximum security using the industry standard Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption. GO-Global XP provides only low-level 40-bit encryption and may require third party protections to adequately secure the system. Ease of Establishing the Connection. GoToMyPC establishes the connection to the remote computer easily with no configuration. Users only need to know their address and password. GO-Global XP requires administrators to set up the server for client access before allowing users to access to the system. Guest Invitation. GoToMyPC provides an easy method to invite guests to connect to your computer from a variety of Windows operating systems. GO-Global XP s guest access requires creating a network account to admit the guest onto the company s network. Support Costs. GoToMyPC s support is included with product purchase. GO-Global XP requires expensive pay-per-incident pricing or a high-priced maintenance contract for technical support issues. Reporting. GoToMyPC offers detailed reporting capabilities that allow the manager to view and stop current connections as well as review event history. GO-Global XP provides limited reporting capabilities. Platform Compatibility. A Windows-based GoToMyPC host can be accessed from multiple operating systems. GO-Global XP can be installed on two Windows server operating systems. Overall, GoToMyPC is an easier solution for users than GO-Global XP, because users are presented with their actual computer screen, not a portal-style view. In addition, GoToMyPC is firewall friendly, making it an easier solution for network administrators. GoToMyPC provides a cost-effective, easy-toimplement, fast and secure way to provide remote access to corporate network resources. Users find that GoToMyPC is convenient because it can be used from almost anywhere and requires no configuration. 1

3 Remote Access Overview One of the major issues confronting information systems managers today is providing secure access to corporate IS resources to people who are physically located outside of the corporate network. In today s increasingly connected society, traveling salespeople, telecommuters and work extenders all need access to resources on corporate networks. These resources such as databases, sales tools, , etc. are usually behind firewalls for security reasons and cannot be accessed from outside the corporation. Intended Application One method for allowing remote access to protected computing resources is to use an application delivery product such as GO-Global XP. GraphOn s GO-Global XP Enterprise Edition is a software-based application deployment system developed for accessing Windowsbased applications via the Internet from a variety of operating systems and devices including mobile and LAN-based computers. This is accomplished by building the GO-Global XP platform on top of Microsoft Windows 2000 or NT 4.0 utilizing a Web server with both native and Java applet deployment solutions. GO-Global XP is intended for use within organizations that want to centralize deployment of Windows-based client-server applications over the Web to diverse display devices. Although this method can reduce the total cost of application ownership by extending the reach of applications to numerous operating systems, it is not intended to provide a flexible and costeffective telework solution. With possible hardware to purchase, firewall adjustments, software installation requirements, server configuration, backup installation, and network mapping, setup requires system and network engineers with advanced computing knowledge. GoToMyPC was developed exclusively for those with remote access needs. In addition to accessing applications, GoToMyPC allows employees to view their actual host computer screens and all software on their computer via the Internet from a variety of operating systems. GoToMyPC s key benefit is the ability to launch a telework solution immediately by utilizing the company s existing systems, thus providing an extreme cost savings over implementing other remote solutions such as GO-Global XP. GoToMyPC also simplifies client account administration, and decreases training costs compared to other telework solutions. Revolutionary Solution: Expertcity s GoToMyPC GoToMyPC is Web-based screen-sharing software that allows users to access and use a computer through the GoToMyPC Web site. With GoToMyPC, users can see their computer s screen and access all of their programs, files and network resources as if they were sitting at and using their computer, even though they may be a thousand miles away. Remote control solutions such GoToMyPC ship keyboard input, mouse input and display output data between the client computers and network host servers. This functionality affords remote clients access to the corporate LAN, allowing them to remotely access applications while experiencing performance similar to being on the LAN itself. All communications between the host and client computers are encrypted using 128-bit encryption. Only screen and keyboard updates are sent between the host and the client computer used to access it (unless the user initiates a file transfer), so bandwidth demands are minimal. Any Internet-connected computer can be used as a client to control the host computer because there is no need to install any client software. The client and host computers both initiate outward TCP connections on well-known ports, so firewall changes are usually not necessary. This white paper compares the management and security issues of GraphOn s GO-Global XP Enterprise Edition with Expertcity s GoToMyPC. 2

4 Comparison of GO-Global XP and GoToMyPC Software and Hardware Investments GO-Global XP: Costs and requirements for enabling remote connections using GO-Global XP will vary by the number of people needing remote access. The architecture of a GO-Global XP system includes the following components: Windows based operating system, TCP/IP enabled network servers, Web servers, cluster manager, license administration, CD-ROM drive, and databases. To maintain speed, reliability, and security, the following are recommended: backup servers, multiport adapters, numerous high-speed disk drives, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controllers, highperformance Network Interface Cards (NICs), firewalls, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and load balancing services. GoToMyPC: Only the user s existing computer and the computer they are connecting from are required to use GoToMyPC. Less than 2MB of disk space are required for installation. Although installation on a server is also possible, there is no need for a dedicated server to use GoToMyPC. GoToMyPC allows users to control remote computers from any Internet-connected machine using a Web browser, and does not require any special hardware or software to be installed ahead of time. There are no concerns about scalability or performance, as GoToMyPC provides all the resources for you. You can concentrate on your business; not your remote access. GO-Global XP requires dedicated servers with Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 6 or higher, or Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 1 or higher. Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, Windows XP, Windows 2000 Server with Terminal services, post SP6a Security Rollup Package, and Service Pack Hotfixes are not supported by GO-Global XP. The minimum installation requirements for either supported operating system include at least 128MB of RAM with an additional 6-8MB of RAM for each concurrent user and additional RAM required by the applications to be used. At least 100MB of free hard drive space is needed as well. Stronger performance may be accomplished by installing fast processors. The processor and memory requirements are determined by the number of users on the GO-Global XP system and by the type of applications they use. A Pentium III 733MHz or higher is recommended while the typical GO-Global XP system uses dual processors with around 1GB of memory. Figure 1: Only the client and host computers are required to use GoToMyPC because the servers are hosted 3

5 Installation GO-Global XP: The installation, setup, configuration, and maintenance of GO-Global XP are complicated and require experienced network and system engineers to ensure proper functionality and security and to prevent accidental damage to the system. Before beginning an installation of GO-Global XP, administrators should verify the list of operating systems and software that are not supported or may not be used with the GO- Global XP system. Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft Load Balancer, Symantec pcanywhere, and Funk Software PROXY are examples of some of the software that is not supported. In addition to software, there is some hardware that is not supported by GO-Global XP. The Diamond Multimedia System video card is a popular item that will need to be replaced if the GO-Global XP system is to be installed. Also, the server s screen resolution needs to be configured higher than the client computer s resolution. There are other steps, which must be verified prior to the installation as well. TCP/IP must be installed as a network protocol prior to the installation of GO-Global XP. In order to permit browser-based deployment of GO-Global XP a Web Server, such as an Apache Web Server, must be installed on the server. There are many pieces to a GO-Global XP installation including the Application Publishing Service that launches applications, the Program Window for displaying applications to the user, and the Display Server that redirects the user interface to the client computer. In addition, the installation includes the Component Server for managing client/server communication, the Cluster Manager used to administer user accounts, and the System Extension Driver to allow for multi-users on the system. GoToMyPC: There are no servers to set up, no databases to build, and no networks to configure in order to use GoToMyPC. GoToMyPC allows users to control a host machine from any Internet-connected computer using any Web browser. The host computer can be running Windows 95 or higher, and the client computer does not require any special client software to be installed ahead of time. The software takes up less than 2MB of free disk space on the host computer. Also, installation of GoToMyPC is not restricted to non-terminal Service versions of Windows NT or Everything needed to administer the service throughout your company is available by simply logging in to the Web-based GoToMyPC Administration Center. The account administrator can create all the individual accounts needed for the entire company in one step by simply cutting and pasting the addresses into GoToMyPC from the existing company list. The account administrator can literally set up the entire company to use GoToMyPC in minutes. Figure 2: GoToMyPC can be set up in less than five minutes After all of the third-party software has been properly established or deleted from the servers, protocol decisions have been made, and the installation has been performed, the next step is to set up the applications to be used and enable users access abilities to the system. Applications and users must be individually set up and authorized to enable remote access. This is a multi-step process that requires administrative access. 4

6 Configuration for Firewalls GO-Global XP: To control a computer using GO-Global XP, it is necessary to establish an incoming connection to that computer. The most convenient way to do this is over the network. This provides the best performance and quickest connection setup. However, because GO-Global XP utilizes TCP and UDP protocols, it requires that port 491 be opened on the corporate firewall for the servers to be accessed. This is problematic in most corporate settings because the corporate firewall will almost certainly block incoming connections from the outside. Even if a company s security policy allows such incoming connections, providing this capability requires administrative overhead in firewall management. GoToMyPC: With GoToMyPC, both the host and client computers receive all communications through an outgoing TCP connection, using protocols and ports that can transparently transit almost all firewalls. Thus, in general, no firewall changes are required, and all the problems with incoming network connections that are an issue with the use of GO-Global XP are effectively avoided. Security GO-Global XP: Security is one of the major concerns for businesses when considering a remote access system. Security is optional and limited with GO-Global XP. While GO-Global XP offers optional low-level 40-bit encryption to prevent unauthorized access by securing data sent over the network, the network itself is vulnerable due to the port that GO-Global XP requires to be open. An option is to purchase third party security products to provide high-level encryption for the data stream and to protect the servers against port scanners. For GO-Global XP use in the corporate environment, an administrator should be employed who has extensive experience configuring firewalls and security protocols. GO- Global XP requires firewall openings to allow incoming connections in order to function. While the firewalls may be restrictively configured to limit access, the fact that an opening exists makes it possible to exploit. In addition, GO- Global XP s optional security settings can make it possible for attacks or data capturing by hackers. GoToMyPC: There are no security settings that can accidentally be configured incorrectly with GoToMyPC. GoToMyPC traffic is encrypted from start to finish with strong Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption using a secure challenge-response password authentication protocol. AES is the encryption selected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) due to its security, computational efficiency, modest memory requirements, flexibility, and simplicity. Figure 3: GoToMyPC provides access across most firewalls Figure 4: GoToMyPC uses AES encryption 5

7 Ease of Establishing a Connection GO-Global XP: Establishing a connection from a client computer to the server using GO-Global XP may be accomplished using many different operating systems and devices. In order to access any of the applications on the server, the network administrator is first required to set up and configure the system to allow for particular client logins. A roaming network profile must be established for each user in order to permit GO-Global XP client access. GoToMyPC: GoToMyPC is more convenient because it was designed to function at its full speed through a Web browser and is effectively self-configuring. GoToMyPC is extremely portable because no software or pre-planning is needed to establish a connection. The user logs in to and is presented with a list of all registered and available computers. There are several client access choices with GO-Global XP including Java, Linux, and Windows, using the TCP/IP and UDP protocols via the Internet. To configure all the clients in the GO-Global XP system, the administrator must use scripts rather than a graphical user interface. In addition, using particular clients will result in the inability to use certain features. For example, if using an unsigned Java client, the connection will not allow for file transfer. Also, Java clients are incompatible with several Hewlett Packard printers. Configuring a GO-Global XP client can be complex for some users because they must know connection information such as the correct server address in addition to their personal network logon information. Figure 6: GoToMyPC allows easy remote access without configuration These host computers notify the GoToMyPC communication servers of their availability on a real-time basis through outgoing connections to avoid any possible firewall, NAT or dynamic IP addressing problems using the industry standard AES encryption. To connect to a computer, users need only remember their address, password, and the host computer access code. Figure 5: Connecting with GO-Global XP involves many steps 6

8 Guest Invitation GO-Global XP: Many of today s users are requiring more from their remote access products. One required feature is the ability to invite a guest to your computer for demonstrations, sales, training, or a world of other possibilities. Remote access users want to grant this remote access to a guest easily without a difficult setup or installation. GoToMyPC: GoToMyPC s guest invitation feature doesn t require the use of the network administrator to set up a special account as with GO-Global XP. This can be extremely useful when an important sales opportunity presents itself with a client. Also, you never have to compromise security by giving out a password or change the password immediately after use. Unfortunately, GO-Global XP does not allow for guest invitations to view your computer. An option to get around this issue is to set up a guest network account and a guest GO-Global XP account to access specific applications and files. This requires the time of the network administrator. Next, the employee must obtain the network and GO-Global XP ID and password and deliver them to the guest with connection instructions. After the guest has completed their connection, the employee must remember to inform the network administrator to change the passwords immediately afterwards, or the guest will continue to have access. Figure 8: GoToMyPC's Invite Guest feature doesn t require creating a network account Figure 7: GO-Global XP does not allow for guest access Inviting a guest to your computer with GoToMyPC is easy. A one-time use invitation can be sent by right-clicking on the GoToMyPC icon in the system tray and selecting Invite Guest to PC. You then fill in the address of the invitee, and enter your address and password. The person you invite receives an with a link that launches the GoToMyPC Web site and starts the screen sharing session. The client may run several different operating systems and is not required to perform an installation or configure any software. 7

9 Support Costs GO-Global XP: With the many configuration options that GO-Global XP provides and the intricacy of the installation and integration into the network, many obstacles may arise before and after the product installation. Basic support is provided free of charge online, but lacks the detailed problem specifications and solutions that many administrators will require. If either or phone support are used a charge will be associated with it. GO-Global XP s support is based upon pay-perincident pricing with a charge of $295 per incident. After purchasing the pay-per-incident support, a case number will be issued and then the case number is entered into the GO-Global XP support queue. A maintenance contract may be purchased at a much higher cost if problems occur on a regular basis to offset the cost of the pay-per-incident pricing. 1 The amount of time it takes to respond to support requests will depend on the level that is assigned to it. The response times range from same day response on business days for level 1 to a 3-business day response for level 4 requests. As noted on the GO-Global XP website, Response times may vary based on the number and nature of calls received or incidents reported and is not guaranteed. GoToMyPC: Due to the simplicity and userfriendly nature of GoToMyPC, technical support is rarely required. Nevertheless, phone and support is included in the purchase price of GoToMyPC so additional support fees will not be required. This can be very helpful if you decide to upgrade computers and need assistance or have questions after your purchase. Reporting GO-Global XP: Most employers want detailed reporting about how many users are making remote connections, the employee names, and for what length of time they were connected. While GO-Global XP provides a very basic reporting view via the Cluster Manager, a third party reporting package may be required to gain the true detailed reporting insight that managers are looking for. GO-Global XP provides log-file format data that can be imported into a usercreated database, which then must be analyzed and exported by using third-party reporting software. Costs associated with GO-Global XP reporting will depend on the type of third-party product selected and the intricacy of the setup. A network engineer with data-analysis experience may be required to set up and configure the systems, which could end up being very cost prohibitive. GoToMyPC: Monitoring current sessions in progress or reviewing user connection history is a simple process with GoToMyPC. Administrators can select a monitor function with one click that displays everyone who is currently online along with their connection information. A link allows the administrator to end their employees current sessions immediately. An additional reporting section allows the manager to view detailed reports by individual or the whole company for any time frame in either HTML or Excel format. Figure 9: GoToMyPC provides detailed reporting 1 Prices based on information from December

10 Platform Compatibility GO-Global XP: With GraphOn s GO-Global XP Enterprise Edition, the host servers are limited to two server operating systems: Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 6 or higher or Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 1 or higher. Computers running Windows 95/98, Windows Me, or any Windows server product with Terminal services will not be able to use GO- Global XP for remote access. GoToMyPC: GoToMyPC has the competitive advantage of being able to provide remote access capabilities both to and from multiple operating systems. GoToMyPC can be used from and to Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows XP. In addition, the client can be running Linux, Solaris, and Macintosh. Windows 95 Platforms Supported as Host Computer Operating System GoToMyPC GO-Global XP Windows 98 Windows Me Windows 2000 Windows 2000 w/ Terminal Services Windows NT 4.0 Windows NT 4.0 w/ Terminal Server Windows XP 9

11 Conclusion In contrast to other remote access products such as GO-Global XP, GoToMyPC provides a cost-effective, flexible, and secure method for remote access to corporate computing resources. With GoToMyPC, there is no downside in terms of extra management, loss of security or loss of performance. GoToMyPC is also far more convenient for users than other solutions because it does not require remembering server addresses, is accessible from more operating systems, and does not require technical expertise to install or use. Summary Comparison of GoToMyPC vs. GO-Global XP Software and Hardware Investments Installation Configuration for Firewalls Ease of Establishing a Connection Security GoToMyPC Uses existing computers. No need to purchase expensive software or hardware. Simple setup performed in less than 5 minutes by non-technical individuals. Outgoing connection only. No configuration of firewall. Self-configuring. Completely secure environment. Strong 128-bit encryption. GO-Global XP Need to purchase expensive software and hardware with specific requirements. Difficult and involved setup that requires a great depth of technical knowledge. Network and firewall must be configured to allow incoming connections. Administrator required to configure client accounts prior to use. Low 40-bit encryption. Need to open ports in firewall for use. Guest Invitation Support Costs Reporting Easy and secure method of inviting guests to your desktop. Technical support pricing included in product purchase. Real-time, detailed reporting easily exported to Excel. No guest invitations. Requires creating company network and GO-Global XP accounts. Support requires pay-per-incident pricing at $295 per incident or a maintenance contract. Limited reporting capabilities. Platform Compatibility Use from greater range of operating systems. Can install on host computer running only two Windows server operating systems. 10