Ubuntu server remote file access

[David Fletcher]

I'd like to be able to browse and edit the files on my server from
outside the LAN.

What I've done so far is experiment with a 10.04 server (because that's
what my physical server is running) virtual machine, by adding my public
ssh key to the authorized_keys file for an ordinary user but not the
administrator, then switching off password authentication.

I've not so far tried connecting from outside, but from inside the LAN I
can now connect using the ssh key to the normal user account, whereas
with the administrator account it kicks me off and terminates the
connection. Port 22 forwarding to the VM is switched on at the router.

Is this going to be properly secure? It seems easy to do. I've also
heard of VPN but I know nothing about using it. I've very briefly looked
at the openvpn website but it looks like it's everything to everybody.
I'm never intending to use it with windows or mac, just use the terminal
login or sshfs from a Linux netbook.

Dave