Laptop or iPad?
I thought the day would never come where I could travel without my laptop. For almost a decade it has gone everywhere that I go. From sitting by a campfire in the woods to riding up Mount Washington on my motorcycle with the Sons of Grace it has always been at my side, like a faithful dog. Thankfully I haven't always needed it but it was there when I did.
Lugging a laptop around was somewhat inconvenient. First off, my 15" Dell Studio weighed in at 7lbs with the a/c adapter. I couldn't travel without the adapter because battery life was about 3 hours max and finding a power source when I needed it wasn't always easy. Not to mention waiting for it to boot, lots of moving parts to break, etc. made it not so ideal for certain travel conditions.
Welcome the iPad 2. Weighing in at 1.33lbs for the WI-FI only model it is thin, sleek and can be packed in just about any size bag, or no bag at all. It even fits in my saddlebag with room to spare. The A/C adapter is small enough to fit in my pocket but I won't need to bring it everywhere I go because the battery life is 3x that of my laptop! I decided against the 3G model because I can wirelessly tether my Android phone when I need it.
After unpacking the iPad 2 my first priority was to load up all of the the apps that I had been researching for the past few months. These are the essential apps that will allow me to manage every network and technology that I support from anywhere I go, with the tap of a finger.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Citrix Receiver
This app allows me to manage my Citrix environments from virtually anywhere. It also provides me access to Windows virtual desktops, published applications, Microsoft Exchange, network files, Active Directory and more, all in HIGH DEFINITION.
AdminPad
Created by AdminPraise this app gives me an iPad-optimized interface for all of my client's Joomla websites.Join.Me
From the creators of LogMeIn the join.me app allows me to provide remote support to any computer, anywhere in the world in addition to instant online meetings, chat, and file transfer.
Rackpace Cloud
Since all of our hosting is done through the Rackspace Cloud I can manage all of our "Cloud Files" and "Cloud Servers" from the simple, easy to use interface of the iPad app. From rebooting a server to creating a new one, it can all be done on the iPad.
Log Me In Ignition
I use the Log Me In client software on multiple networks. While this was the most expensive app I purchased ($29.99) it gives me the ability to take remote control of any remote system without user interaction on the other end. I can login to any system, at any time and take full control as long as the remote system has a connection to the internet. The Log Me In software is simply brilliant.
Dropbox
I opted for the 16GB iPad because most of the files I need to access are stored remotely. I don't need to take a ton of media with me and when I do 16GB will cover a few movies and a decent amount of music. The rest of my files I put in Dropbox. Dropbox is an incredible platform that allows me to share and synchronize files between my iPad, Android Phone, Windows laptop, home PC and even share files with my Mac buddies on their Dropbox accounts. You can get a 2GB Dropbox account for FREE.
FTP on the Go
Managing websites, networks and files often requires FTP access. FTP on the Go PRO is hands-down the best FTP client for mobile access. This handy app allows me upload and download files, compress/uncompress archives, and even edit on the fly. It is a must-have for anyone that needs mobile FTP access.
To sum it up...
The iPad 2 is an amazing tool for the network administrator who needs portability, reliability and quick access to effective tools either in or out of the office.
