[sevver]

I have two people I know that want to set up a VPN between their houses in order to share a database file (ACT!2005) between them. I am sort of under the impression that this is overkill, does anyone do this or know how to? I think that what needs to be done is that they should possibly just email the updated backup file to each other, or else use the ftp capabilities of his website. As it is now they both have Windows XP machines and SBCGlobal DSL, with Dynamic IP addresses. I am positive that the server would end up needing a static address and that the client would then just dial in at will. Any info would be useful to me, or even some opinions on how they should go about this.
Thanks
Steve

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Hi sevver!

One of the problems with moving shared data back and forth is the real chance of things getting out of sync. Best solution is to have a single source for the shared data and using it live. VPN is a quick way to accomplish this securely. You are correct however, static IP's will be required in most setups, but I have done one using dynamic at one end that worked ok. We used a Linksys at one end as the server (I'll have to check my notes, as I can't remember the model that was used) which had a static IP, and the incoming client routers had dynamic, but where registered with DynDNS for host names. I posted a thread in this forum on building a firewall with m0n0wall. It has VPN capability built in, but needs static IP's.

Down and dirty, your people could indeed use FTP (put a server like Filezilla on one of the machines) and transfer that way, but they would not be able to use the Act database simultaneously.

Does this clear or totally muddy the waters for you?
cya, SD

[SoccerDad]

Hi sevver!

One of the problems with moving shared data back and forth is the real chance of things getting out of sync. Best solution is to have a single source for the shared data and using it live. VPN is a quick way to accomplish this securely. You are correct however, static IP's will be required in most setups, but I have done one using dynamic at one end that worked ok. We used a Linksys at one end as the server (I'll have to check my notes, as I can't remember the model that was used) which had a static IP, and the incoming client routers had dynamic, but where registered with DynDNS for host names. I posted a thread in this forum on building a firewall with m0n0wall. It has VPN capability built in, but needs static IP's.

Down and dirty, your people could indeed use FTP (put a server like Filezilla on one of the machines) and transfer that way, but they would not be able to use the Act database simultaneously.

Does this clear or totally muddy the waters for you?
cya, SD

[dsenette]

if the database doesn't need to be "real time" then you could do the ftp or email solution...though as soccerdad said..you would definitely get some incongruent data because if one person changed a piece of data and the other person changed the same piece of data...there would be no way for the system to know who's change to keep...

[sevver]

Really there would be no need to compare real time for them, from what he was saying, a weekly update would suffice, but I am sort of steering towards the VPN solution myself also, which is possibly the best alternative. One file, in one location being used, is better than overwriting an existing file with a corrupt one. I was suggesting that at least one machine get a static address, which could be accessed through the other machine. Another question I guess that I would have, is there any software upgrades that would need to occur? I am not 100%, but I would bet that both parties probably have XP Home Edition.
Thanks alot
steve