Remote Access Services (RAS) refers to any combination of hardware and software which allows you to connect from your computer at home or a remote location to your corporate network and work as if you are connected directly to the corporete network.

Corporate users can connect to the corporate network using direct Dial-up network or through Virtual Private Network (VPN), where a low cost intermediate network (such as the Internet) to connect to the corporate network. Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Services is an example for Remote Access Services (RAS).

Dial-up networking is a Remote Access connection when a remote access client makes a nonpermanent, dial-up connection to a physical port on a Remote Access server by using the service of a third party telecom service provider using analog phone or ISDNconnection.

Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is a logical, indirect connection between the Virtual Private Networking (VPN) client and the Virtual Private Networking (VPN) server over a low cost public network such as the Internet. A Virtual Private Networking (VPN) client uses Virtual Private Networking (VPN) protocols called tunneling protocols to make a virtual call to a virtual port on a Virtual Private Networking (VPN) server.