Not being a windows guru ... is it possible to take a copy of the home user's PC config and use that to derive a new 'corporate' boot disk.
I can see a world of pain in users having to bring in their PC .... but bringing in a backup (or even the current boot disk) may be possible. With the info described above and with the big assumption that a new boot disk can be so derived ... can this be a CD (or even a DVD) there are a number of linux flavours that can boot from CD but I haven't come across a windows boot CD But even if all of the above is possible ... rebooting to connect to the office won't go down well. this may be pie in the sky... Has anyone produced a VPN client that runs from its own sandbox. i.e. it creates a mini encrypted filesystem that is only readable by the VPN client and only applications and data installed in that filesystem can use the VPN Of course, the VPN client would have to be quite clever as it would have to emulate the OS for the applications running within the sandbox (otherwise the outlook running within the VPN client may get confused by the outlook configuration files and registry settings on home user's PC) I'm not sure what would need to be done to facilitate things like printing (possibly the VPN client acts as a proxy and passes the data to the spool queue) The advantage of this solution is that the VPN client can be generic. We (in the IT dept) don't need to know what sort of connection is being used (ADSL, Cable, ISDN) and we shouldn't need to get involved in the low level drivers. Of course, if this hasn't been done then we're scuppered cos I sure can't do it :-) >From: "Brent Woodard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Here's the big management headache on this solution: > >Is the enduser going to bring their workstation in so you can build >the software config? You need to install whatever OS you have with >the appropriate hardware. Are you going to be responsible for >maintaining drivers for 300 different PCs for 300 different users? >This is a scenario not out of the realm of possibility for a large >company. Hmm, that would be kind of nasty, but you should be able to write an unattended install script for them, and just have them slap in your HDD, put in the CD and boot. Once it's done, they connect to the corporate network and it auto-installs any other necessary software. Another thought would be to use something like Knoppix that has an entire OS contained on the CD. >And what about a boot manager? What are you going to use there? Don't use one. Use removeable hard drives. >Once you open the Pandora's box of supporting users home >workstations, you open the way for a whole set of support nightmare >headaches. Bad business for an IS staff trying to keep costs >down.... If you have home users, you're already supporting them. Chris Berry [EMAIL PROTECTED] Systems Administrator JM Associates __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------- SurfControl E-mail Filter puts the brakes on spam, viruses and malicious code. Safeguard your business critical communications. Download a free 30-day trial: http://www.surfcontrol.com/go/zsfsbl1
