Remote Management

Remote management is another option to consider for use in your application. Remote management can be important when trying to administer a server or diagnose a problem remotely. By including remote management tools or functionality in your application, you have the ability to make administrative changes or diagnose problems by dialing in to the end user's environment.

Using Windows NT Remote Access Services

Windows NT Remote Access Services (RAS) allows you to open a remote connection between a client and a server over a telephone line. You can configure the end user's environment to send or receive calls as necessary. Implementing RAS technology provides many options and tasks that you can use to your advantage in your application. The following is a short item list of the tasks you can perform remotely with RAS installed in the end user's environment:

• Monitoring the performance of your application, SQL Server, and the system
  
  
• Performing software upgrades and/or applying patches
  
  
• Diagnosing problems
  
  
• Examining the appropriate error logs or the Windows NT event logs when diagnosing problems
  
  
• Importing/exporting application database data for analysis
  
  
• Offering a remote support option as an add-on to your product

You can also perform many SQL Server-related tasks remotely as well. All of SQL Server's administration tools work well over RAS. You can administer the SQL Server with SQL Enterprise Manager using RAS to perform any administration task. You can also leverage an e-mail account to receive alerts and scheduled task reports from the end user's SQL Server. SQL Server's task and alert capabilities are designed to send e-mail using SQL Server's SQLMail capabilities. Using this feature, you can get an overview of how your application and SQL Server are performing in the end user's environment.