[ubuntu-uk] Remote support was Sad but true? From the Register

[Johnathon Tinsley]

Rob Beard wrote:
> On 17/01/2009 15:11, Ian Pascoe wrote:
>> Johnathon, et al,
>>
>> In your post from Thursday you mention you have OpenVPN installed to provide
>> remote access etc.
>>
>> In Rob's case he doesn't appear against this but worried about connections
>> to his own private network.
>>
>> Do you know if you can set up an OpenVPN server on a hosting site, no direct
>> connection to home network, but then either SSH to the OpenVPN server and
>> thence onto the client, or through some VNC equivilant?
>>

The OpenVPN connection comes from the supportee's [see note below] 
computer to the server. If you set it up correctly, you can have 2 
supportee's sshing directly to each other, over the VPN connection.

What you really want, is to set it up so that each supportee's computer 
links to the central OpenVPN server (any VPS could host a VPN server), 
but is only accessible from the VPN server, so yes, the supporter would 
then SSH into the VPN server, and from there to the supportee.

The caveat with this is, realistically, you'd need a user account with 
sudoer permissions on the supportee's computer, which would mean the 
supporter's would have to be trusted NOT to steal data, or muck about.

Does that help / make sense?

>> About a year or two ago, discussions were held here about providing some
>> sort of support package from the UK loco, but got bogged down for one reason
>> or another.  This idea of setting up a hosted VPN server could be a way to
>> provide the remote support that we were finding difficult to arrange.
>>
>> I briefly looked at OpenVPN  quite some time ago for remote access to my
>> brother's Windlows laptop as he was having lots of various problems - it
>> went puff before I got any further with the idea.
>>
>> Anyone fancy trying to set up such a project to see if it both works and is
>> workable?
>>
>> Maybe set up a server at someones place for testing purposes, and if all
>> works well there see if those nice people at Bitfolk, or whoever does the
>> podcast mirrors, could loan us an account for a period of time whilst trials
>> go on?  Or maybe a bit of space on a Cononical server?
>>

I may be able to get a VPS you can use, on our internal network. 
Alternatively, I have a relatively unused OpenVPN server already set-up, 
providing secure access to my work-provided hobby server.

>> If all works out, extend the server capabilities to host an iPBX and a CRM
>> (Customer Relationship Management) tool like SugarCRM, I think, and an
>> instant Ubuntu Support Service is formed.  Now if you really wanted to get
>> onto the bandwagon, get a duplicate setup in the States, Europe and
>> elsewhere connected together and hey presto!  something that no one else has
>> but is cost effective and a real boon to the Community.  Hmm, better stop
>> there, beginning to go the realms of fantasy!
>>
>> It'd certainly make things a lot easier to do as there wouldn't be problems
>> with security, bandwidth or such like.
>>

If we could get free-voice comms with the supportee's, that would 
certainly help things. Asterisk / FreePBX?

>> Discuss!
>>
>> Ian
>>
>>    
> Well I think it's a good idea if it's workable.  I think I may have 
> found a solution albeit not ideal by using reverse VNC where a PC on my 
> network listens for connections from a client's PC, something along the 
> lines of this... http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=299489
> 
> I've yet to look into how to tunnel it over SSH but I'd probably 
> implement it in a virtual machine.
> 

[note] I apologise for making up the word "supportee", but I thought it 
might make my explaination easier, especially since we're talking about 
OpenVPN servers and clients...

Johnathon