So, its 4pm on Thursday and you’re having an issue with payroll in GP. You’re not sweating it because you know that you have an amazing VAR who is going to get this all straightened out for you. You call in and get your consultant on the phone and they tell you they are going to use RDP to get on your machine and see what the problem is. You sit there confused but not wanting to let them know that you have no idea what’s happening. A million thoughts race through your head… “What’s RDP? Should I have this? Do I need it? Why don’t I know?”
RDP stands for Remote Desktop Protocol. Wikipedia will tell you that “Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft, which provides a user with a graphical interface to connect to another computer over a network connection. The user employs RDP client software for this purpose, while the other computer must run RDP server software.” Ok great… so you managed to pull that up on Google while the consultant is still talking… but what does that mean?! And yes, it’s too late to pretend you are driving through a tunnel and hang up.
RDP is a software that allows someone to control a desktop from another computer, remotely. Whoever is “remoting in” can control the mouse and keyboard and operate the machine as if they were sitting right in front on it. If you are having a technical issue you can see how helpful this would be! Just let your consultant take the wheel and fix the issue for you. Think of RDP as “remote control” to your computer.
Now some of you out there may be thinking “Oh! This is the same thing as when I use the VPN to connect when I work from home.” Not so fast! VPN and RDP, while similar, are not the same thing. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN lays on top of another network, usually corporate networks, and allows the user access to resources on that network so it is not limited to what is running on one specific machine. When you are having an issue with your GP or other applications and need a consultant to take a look and fix it RDP is the best choice for them to quickly connect, take control, and resolve the problem. Also, the consultant on the other side will only have access to what is on your machine not the entire network so for companies with tight security policies it makes the most sense.
Thanks for joining us for KTL’s first IT for Accountants blog! Remember to tweet/comment questions and suggestions using #ITForGP !
MARY CHARUHAS | Junior Business Development/Internal Sales
Mary Charuhas has been with KTL since 2013, starting as a sales intern in the summer of 2013 and moving to Business Development and Internal Sales in the spring of 2014. She is currently pursuing her Associates Degree in Business Management from Frederick Community College and hopes to continue her education at the University of Maryland next spring. Mary also possesses several Microsoft Dynamics and Acumatica Cloud ERP Sales certifications. Mary assists the sales team in finding new and exciting opportunities. She also manages KTL’s existing customers through providing them with ongoing knowledge of the products, assisting them with upgrades and continuing projects, keeping them informed about updates/new releases, events, and training opportunities. Her charisma and passion for providing excellent customer service make her a valuable asset to KTL’s sales department.
