Farallon Timbuktu Pro

PC users can get Mac remote control in this grown-up version ofTimbuktu

TESTING BY GEOFF MARSHALL

Farallon originally developed Timbuktu to provide remote control facilities to the networked Apple Macintosh community. There has been a Windows version for some time but it required you to run AppleTalk - even on PCs. With this new version, Farallon has brought Timbuktu Pro fully into the PC arena with support for IP and IPX networks, plus dial-up connections over modem and ISDN links.

We tested version 1.1 for Windows 3.x and Windows 95, but there is an add-on for Windows NT 3.5x. Only TCP/IP is currently supported under NT.

A beta of the NT 4.0 version will be released by the time you read this.

The Mac version remains available as a separate product.

Besides remote control, Timbuktu Pro integrates with the Windows 95 dial-up client to provide remote-node access as well. It also provides remote-node capabilities using PPP under Windows 3.x in a way that allows inter-operation with the dial-up server supplied in the Microsoft Plus! pack for Windows 95. By using PPP it is fully compatible with other industry-standard remote access servers such as Windows NT, Shiva LanRover and 3Com AccessBuilder.

Timbuktu Pro works well in mixed environments where different versions of Windows 3.x, Windows 95 and Macs are running, so it can be used to support users during an enterprise-wide roll-out of Windows 95. It is aimed at helping corporate IT departments to support users over Lan and Wan, but would also support home workers over a dial-up link.

Remote control and remote access

It really doesn't matter how the connectivity is achieved, Timbuktu Pro provides remote control for support or training purposes, plus remote access client functionality. Obviously, it's much slower over a modem link, but usable nonetheless. As it supports IP, everything works fine over the Internet, transparently converting data to 7 bit format for transmission.

There is no intelligent compression of screen images.

There are two methods of connecting to a remote machine. If you connect as an observer, you don't have access to the keyboard or mouse. If you connect as a controller, you can take over the mouse and keyboard functions of the other computer and operate it by remote control. You can also have many observers of a single machine which is useful for training purposes.

For security, Timbuktu Pro can restrict who can connect to your computer by username/password, or protocol. For example, you can restrict remote users to one of either IP or IPX connections instead of allowing both protocols, which is the default.

Each user name may be further restricted in privileges as each of the following may be separately allowed or disallowed; observe, control, send files and messages, copy to (write), copy from (read), and delete files.

There is an audit trail indicating who connected when, but not what they did. You cannot restrict access by directory or disk drive so, if you give someone access to your files, all drives visible to your computer are accessible - including network drives.

Two approaches to file transfer

File transfers can be made directly or using the send option. In the latter case, files are always dropped into a particular destination directory accompanied by a message. The direct approach can be two-way and can offer unlimited access to the files on the controlled PC. When transferring files from a Mac, filenames associated with an application such as Microsoft Word are translated automatically by the addition of the appropriate file extension.

Timbuktu Pro is easy to install and use. The documentation is excellent with a pocket-sized quick-reference guide plus a full manual. The online help is also good. Surprisingly, there is no support for long filenames under Windows 95.

Prices for Timbuktu Pro start at #139 for a twin pack; with site licensing for 10 users at #549; 30 users at #1,440 and 100 users at #4,100.

Product: Farallon Timbuktu Pro

Availability: Gomark (0171) 731 7930

Price: #139 (twin pack)

Installation: ****

Ease of Use: ****

Documentation: ****

Features: **

Value for Money: ***

Overall ***