In this part of our talk focusing on VPS administration running Windows operating system we shall take a look at a problem which many new users deal with and that is how to connect a local file system to a remote server.
When using RDC (Remote Desktop Connection) we may work with the remote operating system not only as any ordinary local user, but we may even share data on our local disk and work with them directly on the server.
This function is possible thanks to RDP protocol which enables remote connections while the actual configuration depends on the specific software client.
We will take a look at the problem from two perspectives – as a local computer user running Windows and as a user running OS X, – Mac.
Local computer running Windows
To connect disk drives of a computer running MS Windows you just run RDP client and make few configuration adjustments.
As we already know, the client may be found under the Accessories tab and under Remote Desktop Connections.
Once started, the system will display a small window with a line which is used to enter the address or to scroll down through previously used remote connection addresses.
But this time we will click on the lower item, Show Options.
The system will display a menu where you select the Local Resources tab.
On this tab, all the way down, you will click the More… button.
The system displays a local file systems and devices connection menu. Click on Drives and select all drives that you want to make remotely accessible on the local computer.
Once you connect to the remote server, files on the local disk are accessible and you may work with them as usual.
Local computer with OS X
The situation is slightly different when running OS X, where the official client with RDP support looks and behaves a bit differently than what we are used to when using Windows.
First, start the RDP client which you have already downloaded directly from the App Store during the first part of our series.
The system will display a menu with stored details to log to the remote server or servers.
Select the required server and click Edit – either on the top menu or by right-clicking the server name.
Another window will pop up. Select the Redirection tab in the menu.
The Enable folder redirection box must be checked on this tab. Then click on the lower button marked with the plus sign.
A new window will pop up where you may choose folders that you want to make available through the remote connection.
And that is all. On the remote server you will see again the attached file systems in the local computer and you may work with them easily.
Author: Jirka Dvořák
