What's The Best Remote Admin Tool?

[roadsweeper]

Hi all

I'm looking for recommendation on a remote admin tool (i.e. a software application that allows me to take remote control of remote PCs over the Internet for support purposes) that hits the best balance of price, features, speed and relaibility. I've been using Radmin (has the usual remote mouse/keyboard control and allows view screen, file transfer and Telnet) for a few weeks now and have found it to be very good and it's very cheap at around £15 for 2 PCs. Any other suggestions?

Cheers.

roadie.

[BliarOut]

VNC, it's free

[Plotloss]

I use Remote Desktop Connection for the XP machines and VNC for the 2000 machines

Both perfectly find IME and RDC is in built so free.

Mind you, someone on here did mention a while ago that RDP isnt all that secure I think but you'll need someone far more technical than me to explain why...

[spivvy]

depends how you are connecting is it VPN or not,
If VPN you could try VNC its free and allows file transfer ,
if remote support is of XP machines you could try the remote assistance facility built into XP

if not VPN you will have to open ports on the firewall to allow the applications to run ,probably wouldn't recommend VNC as it is probably not the most secure app altough the latest ultra VNC allow domain login restrictions on it

[Gaffer]

Dameware...?

Used it at Kellogg after ditching SMS.

Claire

[BliarOut]

spivvy said:

depends how you are connecting is it VPN or not, If VPN you could try VNC its free and allows file transfer , if remote support is of XP machines you could try the remote assistance facility built into XP if not VPN you will have to open ports on the firewall to allow the applications to run ,probably wouldn't recommend VNC as it is probably not the most secure app altough the latest ultra VNC allow domain login restrictions on it

And you can tunnel it through SSL.

[Plotloss]

You can also tunnel VNC or RDP over OpenSSH

[neil_cardiff]

Gaffer said:

Dameware...? Used it at Kellogg after ditching SMS. Claire

Dameware rocks, we use it.

Does everything you could ever want (including AD stuff) and it's cheap as buggery.

Its licensed per USER, not client so you buy one for each techie, and job done.

I love it.

and you can download a free fully fuctional 30 day trial too

[m12_nathan]

Plotloss said:

A side question: Anyway of securing the RDP web client under IIS?? Ideally what I would want to do is apply something similar to a .htaccess but under IIS and IIS security seems to have been implemented in the most convoluted way possible.

IIS uses, amongst other methods, NTFS permissions to secure content. Much better than a text file.

[roadsweeper]

Dameware Mini Remote Control looks outstanding and the licensing structure/pricing is much more attractive for our business model. Thanks to everyone for your help.

[Gaffer]

Claire

[roadsweeper]

And here was me thinking you only answered TVR questions.

[Gaffer]

I am a Consultant as of today for EC Harris, so am Jackie of all trades.



Claire

[Chumpers]

Plotloss said:

A side question: Anyway of securing the RDP web client under IIS?? Ideally what I would want to do is apply something similar to a .htaccess but under IIS and IIS security seems to have been implemented in the most convoluted way possible.

Whatever product you choose I would strongly recommend encrypting the payload. VNC, RDP etc do not encrypt their traffic. As Plotloss said, you can always tunnel the traffic through OpenSSH. Can the remote users turn remote access on when required? This would also help security. I guess these machines are not on a domain/directory?

Cheers

Chumpers