Virtual Server/Desktop Experience

I'm curious about the experience of all of the experts here on virtual servers/desktops.

I've become frustrated at the limitations of having files and programs on one computer and become more nervous about the security risks of it as well. Ideally, I'd like to have several years of UltraTax, QB, Office, the smaller miscellaneous programs, and all my files installed in an integrated cloud space -- in short, I just want to be able to do all my stuff in the cloud from whatever location or computer I choose.

Has anyone successfully done something like this? Any suggestions for providers, warnings? Would it be easier to move UT to the TR virtual office setup and keep QB, Office, and my files separate? Does what I want not exist? Am I crazy for wanting this?

I've run a small office for 10 year from 0 to 5 full time employees. To be full cloud is scary and expensive for what you want.

For most years I ran NAS drive that backed up to the internet with Google Drive, iDrive, or Carbonite. So 6 or 7 laptops accessed the NAS for local access, and all the data was pushed up to the interwebs for remote access and back-up purposes.

Tax and QB desktop versions are better than cloud version. So if you want tax and qb cloud access you have three choices. 1) transition to less functional and slower cloud versions....ei QBO and ProConnect . 2) Pay for hosted QuickBooks Desktop and UltraTax/Lacerte...whatever....it's expensive and you are trusting a vendor with all your stuff. 3) Remote in to your own desktops to run full desktop versions. For remote access when traveling and working with contractors, I've historically used LogMeIn and TeamViewer to access my own machines. The cost was always much cheaper and a vendor didn't hold all my client data. With any of this....backup and versioning is critical to avoid data loss. 321 backup scheme. 3 copies, 2 local, 1 remote/web minimum.

I appreciate your reply. My concern is really less to deal with accessing my files from outside my office -- although that's definitely a positive -- and more to do with security and the pains of upgrading a computer when the time comes.

What do you do, security-wise, to protect client data on your NAS?

If your concern is losing files, all you need to add is online backup - using a vendor like Mozy. It has an app that runs in the background to monitor file changes and backs up whatever folders you set it for, as many times a day as you want. With a little planning about your file/folder structure it can be very easy to switch computers. That plus GoToMyPC and you'd have all the speed of local with the security and anywhere access of the cloud. But you wouldn't have to deal with the slowness and bugs of cloud apps.

You probably know this but Office is available subscription based with files being stored in the cloud (OneDrive). But it has too many lags and bugs IMO, even when working in Office apps. I use OneDrive for some things, info-base docs, but it's not where my data lives.

The NAS requires username and password credentials to attach to it. Also I intentionally did not broadcast wifi in my office for fear of a wifi hack. I've never used a elaborate fire wall. Just eset Internet security.

OneDrive was awful for me. IDrive and Google drive work pretty well for me.

We use something called "Sharesync". Its just like dropbox. All of our files are in the cloud. Our PC's have the programs like excel, QB's, Proseries etc but the files themselves are on the cloud. So if you use a laptop and have a secure Internet connection, you can do work from anywhere. It is 64 bit encrypted as are all of our hard drives. We never have to back up and its convenience is outstanding. Wouldn't work well in a large office but 2-3 people it works fine.

I should point out that currently, I have automatic backups from my computer to the cloud using Carbonite, plus I do regular local backups. I'm just looking at the next step.

The NAS requires username and password credentials to attach to it. Also I intentionally did not broadcast wifi in my office for fear of a wifi hack. I've never used a elaborate fire wall. Just eset Internet security.

Interesting. I will have to look at that option.

You probably know this but Office is available subscription based with files being stored in the cloud (OneDrive). But it has too many lags and bugs IMO, even when working in Office apps. I use OneDrive for some things, info-base docs, but it's not where my data lives.

Yeah -- I have used OneDrive in the past, and the way it seems to work best is that there is a document folder on your hard drive that automatically syncs online rather than being true cloud storage.

We use something called "Sharesync". Its just like dropbox. All of our files are in the cloud. Our PC's have the programs like excel, QB's, Proseries etc but the files themselves are on the cloud.

I'll take a look at that. Does Proseries run noticeably slower having to read/write its data from the separate cloud?

We use something called "Sharesync". Its just like dropbox. All of our files are in the cloud. Our PC's have the programs like excel, QB's, Proseries etc but the files themselves are on the cloud.

I'll take a look at that. Does Proseries run noticeably slower having to read/write its data from the separate cloud?

No.... but the answer is tricky and interesting BUT we have it set up for automatic "sync" so you are in fact working from your hard drive. When you save the file it syncs it to the cloud. Its dangerous in that if you have 2 employees, both working on same file, the cloud wont know know that. But for a 1-2 man shop its great.

Try putting a client file and an excel file in dropbox. Its the same thing. The file is ON your PC and then syncs to the cloud when you save.

Try putting a client file and an excel file in dropbox. Its the same thing. The file is ON your PC and then syncs to the cloud when you save.

Ah, ok, your system is just like OneDrive/IDrive/Google/NAS and the others. Thanks for your insight!

Ultra tax offers a hosting option for their tax software, document storage, and fixed asset program. We would have gone that route if we didn't have to convert all of our data over from CCH.

We currently use SmartVault for our client file storage. It works well. Every once in a while the service is slow during peak hours, but that is the only downside we have experienced. Also, it only allows for the storage of QuickBooks backup files, you cannot run the QB files from SmartVault.

We recently switched our tax software to CCH Axcess from Prosystems FX. This is online based software as well, and we are happy with it.

We are a small firm. We made the decision to get rid of our server and let SmartVault and CCH handle our data. We take the position that their IT security must be much better than our local computer guy can do for us.

Thanks for your input, Taxman40. I was aware of the UT hosting option, but since I don't buy FileCabinet all of my files would have to be elsewhere... it just wouldn't make sense. How do you handle QB files, if you can't run them off of SmartVault?

Your final paragraph lines up with my thoughts on security, and why I've been looking at solutions like that.

I run Ultratax in the cloud. For my client files I use sync.com (works just like dropbox but secure). i have myself, 1 full-time staff and then part-time staff in tax season. Everyone can work remote with no problems. Most clients use QBO but for the ones that use Desktop the file is in their folder in sync and i have had no issues with different staff opening the file. it works the same as if it is in their My Documents folder on their PC. The only issue is that if someone is in the file and closes it they have to make sure they give it a second to upload to sync before shutting off the computer to ensure that the next person that opens the file gets the most recent copy. This solution works well for me with 2-3 total users. I have been operating like this for 2 tax seasons now. Sync only costs me $50 per user per year.

Thanks for your input! With sync.com, do the files live on your computer or are they temporarily downloaded as the need arises? I can imagine that QBO makes that problem disappear.

We still have our old server, but everything has been deleted off except the QuickBooks files and our asset software (asset keeper pro).

Our computer guy is going to be coming in this month to setup some type of local storage drive that we all can access, but is not a server.

We almost pulled the trigger on a hosting service. I believe it is called Cloudnine Realtime. We were in the process of signing up, and we received an email that they had been hacked. Luckily we didn't transfer any data to it. We trust SmartVault with our client files. I think it is much safer since they do not allow you to run .exe files, they simply store the files.

missingdonut, the files live on your PC so even when you are offline you have full access. But when a file is updated the file is updated in sync.com and the files are then updated in the Sync Folders in your other users PCs as well.

Our computer guy is going to be coming in this month to setup some type of local storage drive that we all can access, but is not a server.

We almost pulled the trigger on a hosting service. I believe it is called Cloudnine Realtime. We were in the process of signing up, and we received an email that they had been hacked. Luckily we didn't transfer any data to it. We trust SmartVault with our client files. I think it is much safer since they do not allow you to run .exe files, they simply store the files.

Sounds like a NAS-style solution that was discussed earlier. I had read about Cloudnine but there was something that I wasn't sold on with them... and I wasn't even aware of the hack! So much for the "big boys" having the computer expertise. Thanks!

missingdonut, the files live on your PC so even when you are offline you have full access. But when a file is updated the file is updated in sync.com and the files are then updated in the Sync Folders in your other users PCs as well.

Ok, so that's basically the Carbonite/OneDrive/iDrive/etc model, too. Thanks for your input!