Favorite time Savers

I wanted to jot down a list of some of my favorite IT time saving applications/utilities/technology. What better place to keep it than here.

In no particular order

• UltraVNC
• Allows to remotely share same computer space as the person that needs assistance
• Uses encryption for username and passwords
• Active Directory security enable
• Microsoft Group Policy
• Implements changes based on groups and computer types
• Gives the ability to deploy software based on security
• Database of Computers
• using a vb script file that runs on log in we gather information about each computer and dump into a database
• records info about hardware, software, and user log in/out activity
• Remote Desktop Connection
• Based on Terminal Server technology RDP allows you to connect into a server or workstation from a remote location.
• It's great because it comes on all machines after XP and is very helpful since it allows remote users to login to their normal computer giving the a familiar work environment.
• VPN
• We give a select few work-a-holics the ability to get into the network from home with a VPN client.
  
• This works great in conjunction with RDP but does increase the calls that I get at random hours of the day (or mostly night).
• Volume Shadow Copy
• Windows Server 2003 comes with a service available called a Volume Shadow Copy.
• The way that this works is you can turn on Shadow Copy on a drive volume and it will make scheduled "backups" of the files that are located in shared folders on that particular drive
• This enables a client to be give to users and they restore their own corrupted, deleted, or damaged documents with out having to visit any tapes or backup programs.
• Helpdesk Software
• We use a relatively low tech Helpdesk application. It was a free web app that I served out on a linux box called MyHelpDesk
• Reasons why I like MyHelpDesk: Free, fairly flexible, can be updated and maintained.
  
• It allows us to keep track of the needs of our organization and update the priority of what is coming in.

This list is not exhaustive but it a good start. If I think of some more I'll make a new thread