Which Remote Desktop Manager Should I Choose

As the world is getting digital and interconnected, managing remote desktop connections is also becoming an essential IT operation for businesses/individuals.

Remote desktop manager software makes it possible to control multiple remote connections from a central interface. Simply put, it streamlines how IT administrators and individuals manage multiple systems or access multiple remote machines.

In this guide, we will explore the remote desktop connection manager, covering its features, popular tools, and the factors to consider when choosing the right tool.

Part 1. What Is Remote Desktop Manager

A remote desktop manager (RDM) is a software solution that allows remote access to multiple computers or servers from a single interface.

RDM software is useful for multiple purposes:

In short, RDM helps the IT department streamline remote access and drive security and productivity. Instead of relying on different remote access software and password managers, RDM provides a one-stop platform to handle all remote connections.

Here, it is important to clarify one thing. Remote access software and remote desktop manager are not two different things. They are nearly the same and intend to provide remote access to users.

Part 2. Key Features of Remote Desktop Managers

As the hybrid work culture grows, the remote desktop manager is the need of the hour for businesses to streamline administrative activities. These tools can help manage multiple connections while maintaining security.

To better understand, below are the key features of remote desktop managers:

Connection Management

Remote desktop managers allow users to manage multiple remote connections in one interface. They support various protocols like RDP, VNC, SSH, and more. This makes it easy to manage multiple systems running in different environments.

Credential Management

Since remote desktop connection managers help manage multiple connections, they also provide secure storage and management of login credentials. The built-in encrypted vaults help users access login credentials automatically while establishing remote sessions. Some tools even offer user-specific vaults for each user.

Session Recording

Remote desktop managers can record and store entire remote sessions. This is useful for auditing purposes and, in some cases, fulfilling compliance needs. They can also record information on who, when, and what actions were performed during the remote session.

Team Sharing and Collaboration

Remote desktop connection managers allow collaboration within or between teams. They can share remote sessions securely where multiple users can access the same remote session for collaboration.

Automation and Scripting

Software updates or maintenance routines are often repetitive and can take significant time if performed on multiple devices. So, some remote desktop managers support automation and scripting for repetitive tasks. This speeds up repetitive tasks, reduces errors, and boosts productivity.

Part 3. Popular Remote Desktop Managers

Out of many remote desktop managers available today, below are three popular ones you can use:

1AirDroid Remote Support

AirDroid Remote Support is a modernized and powerful remote desktop manager. It provides an easy-to-use interface to remote control multiple devices at the same time. The organization can enroll all the devices to remote control and set attended/unattended access. Afterward, connecting to multiple remote devices is a simple click-based process.

AirDroid Remote Support admin console empowers administrators to manage all the remote sessions centrally. It also logs all the remote sessions for auditing.

Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Android

2Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager

Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager is another feature-rich remote connection manager for individual users and businesses. It can launch 50+ remote connection protocols, such as SSH, VNC, RDP, and ARD. Furthermore, it provides shared vaults for centralized password management.

Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.

3Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager is a free remote connection manager by Microsoft. It provides IT administrators with an intuitive platform to organize, connect, and control multiple devices/servers remotely. It organizes servers in groups, which makes it easy to handle them simultaneously. Furthermore, IT administrators can monitor multiple RDP connections in one window.

Supported Platforms: Windows

Part 4. Choosing the Right Remote Desktop Manager

There are multiple factors to consider when choosing the right remote desktop manager. Below, we have shortlisted some of the key factors that will help you pick the right remote desktop connection manager:

1.Ease of Use

The remote desktop manager should have an easy-to-use interface. Enrolling devices and establishing remote connections should be simple and quick, with no to minimal learning curve.

2.Scalability

As the business grows, the number of employees and customers increases, which means more remote sessions. Therefore, the remote desktop connection manager should be easy to scale and able to handle more connections without any issues.

3.Security Features

Multiple remote sessions are a security risk if not managed effectively. A weak security remote desktop manager will make your remote connections vulnerable to breaches and unauthorized access. Therefore, the remote desktop manager should offer top-notch security features to avoid any possibility of unauthorized access or data leakage.

4.Budget

The ideal remote desktop manager is not only feature-rich but also budget-friendly. Make sure to choose software that offers affordable plans without compromising on features. You can shortlist a few of the best software that aligns with your budget and then choose the one that offers the best features.