The term was originally coined by
Microsoft when referring to their built-in
Windows NT remote access tools. RAS is a service provided by Windows NT which allows most of the services which would be available on a
network to be accessed over a
modem link. The service includes support for
dialup and
logon, presents the same network interface as the normal network drivers (albeit slightly slower). RAS works with several major network protocols, including
TCP/IP,
IPX, and
NBF. It is not necessary to run Windows NT on the
client—there are client versions for other
Windows operating systems. RAS enables users to log into an NT-based
LAN using a modem,
X.25 connection or
WAN link. Starting in the mid-1990s, several manufacturers such as
U.S. Robotics produced "modem terminal servers". Instead of having
RS-232 ports, these would directly incorporate an analog
modem. These devices were commonly used by
Internet service providers to allow consumer dial-up. Modern versions interface to an
ISDN PRI instead of having analog modem ports. Remote access services are now commonly used for online technical support for personal computers. The first instance of this was in 1987 in the
United Kingdom, provided by a company called
Jade Technologies. This used the
MS-DOS based program called
PC Anywhere to directly link into
MS-DOS and early Windows-based PCs. The company had been providing RAS support for
Unix based corporate systems since 1985. == See also ==