Working Remotely

Here you will find some recommendations and procedures for working remotely.

The section on making a remote desktop connection to your office computer is incomplete. In particular, I am lacking instructions for connecting to a Linux desktop from a Windows or Mac computer.

Please note that there are many different ways to work remotely and the notes and suggestions here are not the only way. If you have other tools or procedures that work well for you, please consider editing this topic or get in contact with me and I'll add the information.

If anyone has any questions, suggestions, corrections or additions please edit this topic or let me know at dale.plummer at vumc.org

Recommendations

• Before it becomes necessary, practice working remotely.
• Before installing the Big-IP Edge VPN client, make sure that the older Pulse VPN client is not still installed. Remove it if it is.
• If you can avoid it, don't use a remote desktop connection. Remote desktop connections tend to be slow and prone to disconnections. Instead, install the software you need on your laptop or home computer, make a VPN connection, and map or mount the shares you use. Hopefully you won't have much data stored directly on your office computer.
• You don't need to make any connection to use VUMC email and calendaring. The Outlook online app (https://outlook.office.com) works pretty well.
• Consider using something like GitHub, GitLab, or similar for storing and versioning your code.
• Conferencing tools:
  • Skype for Business - VUMC's current preferred tool for online meetings
  • Zoom - Zoom is a platform for video conferencing and online meetings. We have a limited number of licenses that are shared among the members of the department. Contact Dale Plummer if you need to host a Zoom meeting. You don't need a Zoom license to attend (not host) a Zoom meeting or if the meeting you are hosting will last no longer that 40 minutes.
  • https://www.freeconferencecall.com - a free tool for hosting audio only meetings
• Before it becomes necessary, practice working remotely.

Prepare to work remotely

• Make sure you have installed the software you need on your laptop or home computer (e.g. R, RStudio, Microsoft Office). Hopefully, you will not need to make a remote desktop connection to your office computer. Such connections are resource intensive and tend to be slow and prone to unplanned disconnections.
• Get familiar with software tools that ease the process of working remotely. Some tools are suggested below.
• Enroll in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This is a requirement for making a virtual private network (VPN) connection to the VUMC network. https://www.vumc.org/enterprisecybersecurity/mfa
• Install and configure VUMC's Virtual Private Network (VPN) client. See https://www.vumc.org/enterprisecybersecurity/vpn. The VPN client is called "Big-IP Edge VPN client". Test your VPN connection before it is needed. A VPN connection is required to access VUMC resources (e.g. network file shares, most VUMC web applications, library resources and journals, Skype for Business (for virtual meetings).
• If you must make a remote desktop connection, install and configure the software needed on your laptop. Make the necessary settings on your office computer to allow it to accept remote desktop connections. How this is done is system dependent.

Connect to VUMC resources

• Always connect to the VUMC VPN first
• Map or mount the network file resources (shares) that you commonly use
• Tools to connect to your Linux workstation
  • From Linux
    • ssh - Open a command line console on the remote computer. The command line can be used to run, for example, R jobs that you rather not run on your laptop.
    • scp - Copy files between the local computer and remote computer using secure protocols
  • From Windows
    • PuTTY - Open a command line console on the remote computer. Similar to ssh. Download from https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
    • WinSCP - Copy files between the local computer and remote computer using secure protocols. See https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Configure your desktop computer to accept remote desktop connections

• Windows
  • Open the Windows settings app and search for "remote desktop setting"
  • Under "Enable Remote Desktop", set the switch to On
• Linux
  • Open the System Settings app and click on "Sharing" in the navigation bar
  • Click on "Screen Sharing"
  • Set the screen sharing toggle to ON
• MacOS
  • ???

How to make a remote desktop connection to your office computer's desktop

A VPN connection to the VUMC network must be made first.

• Connect to your office Windows workstation's desktop from a remote computer
  • from a Windows remote computer
    • Run the Remote Desktop Connection App
    • Enter the remote computer's name in the Computer box and click Connect
    • For credentials enter your VUMCid and ePassword. Type the VUMCid as "vanderbilt\vumcid"
    • If a warning pops up about the "certificate", click continue.
  • from a Linux remote computer
    • Launch the Remmina Remote Desktop Client
    • Configure and establish a remote desktop connection to Windows
      • Click the + icon to create a new connection profile
      • Give the profile a meaningful name
      • Set the Protocol to RDP
      • Server: the computer name
      • User name/User password: your VUMCid and ePassword
      • Domain: vanderbilt
      • Set the Color depth to "True color (32 bpp)"
      • Click the Save button to save the profile
    • Double click on the saved profile to initiate a connection to the Windows computer
  • from a MacOS remote computer
    • If not already available, download and install the Microsoft Remote Desktop app
      • Click "Add PC"
      • Fill in the PC name in the Add PC dialog. Other items can remain default.
      • Click the Add button
    • To make the connection, click the icon containing your computer's name
      • Be sure to enter the username beginning with "vanderbilt\"
      • If a certificate warning comes up, click the "Continue" button

• Connect to your office Linux workstation's desktop from a remote computer
  • from a Windows remote computer
    • Download and install VNC viewer (https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/)
    • Run VNC viewer
    • Create a new connection
      • Click on File...New Connection...
      • VNC Server: name of computer to connect to
      • Name: any meaningful name
      • Leave everything else default
      • Click OK
    • Click on the conn
  • from a Linux remote computer
    • ???
  • from a MacOS remote computer
    • ???