With the surge in popularity of the Internet, Remote Access Services (RAS) have become widely popular in the IT environment. RAS let you connect to your computer from a remote location, such as your home, to the SLAC network. RAS's primary function is to let you access files on a server from a remote location. In order to use RAS from a remote location, a RAS client program is required, which is usually built into the most versions of the Windows or PPP client software.

RAS is a built-in feature of Windows NT that enables the users to log in to an NT-based LAN environment using a modem, X.25 connection or WAN link. RAS works with almost all the major network protocols, including TCP/IP, IPX, and Netbeui.

RAS lets a user dial into any network and use any dialup connection just as if it were a network connection. Though it has its own set of disadvantages, like being slower in comparison to a regular network connection.

Once connected to the RAS, you need to follow the usual procedures to access the network. For example, of you want to connect to a drive on the network, use Windows NT 4.0's My Computer icon from your remote computer, with the map network drive, or explore the network neighborhood, just as if you would explore it from your office PC.

In order to run a program available on the host computer, download and run the executable code on your remote computer. RAS works just like any other network connection, not as a remote control.