Remote desktop manager favorites
TwitterFacebookLinkedIn Do you access remote computers regularly? If you look after multiple servers, keeping track of remote connections gets challenging as the number of your managed servers grows. Using a remote desktop connection manager can help you take back control of your remote desktops. Show
In this article, you will learn about five remote desktop connection managers to consider using. Rest assured that the remote desktop managers that youll read about here are free! There are no trials and without limit to the number of managed remote machines.
Table of Contents
Devolutions Remote Desktop ManagerLets first start this roundup by covering an excellent remote desktop connection manager called Remote Desktop Manager (RDM) from Devolutions. Devolutions offers two editions of RDM free and enterprise (paid). This article will only cover the free edition. Weve found that RDM has the most features through our research and trial testing compared to the other remote desktop connection managers in this article. Moreover, even the free edition comes with features that may overwhelm first-time users. RDM supports many popular connections, including but not limited to Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDP), SSH, Apple Remote Desktop (ARD), TeamViewer, VNC, Telnet, and Citrix. RDM has more supported connections that are too many to list here. InstallationShould you want to try out RDM, you can install it using the EXE or MSI package on your computer or via the portable ZIP version. Depending on which installer option you choose (refer to the screenshot below), youll download a minimum of 185MB installer size as of version 2020.3.29.0. Remote Desktop Manager Download Options Data SourceEvery remote desktop manager needs some repository to save data like remote hosts, credentials, or configuration. In RDM, data repositories are called data sources. Data sources serve as the container of all the entries in RDM. By default, RDM uses an SQLite instance as the data source. However, there are other data source types you can use. Do you want your data source to reside in your cloud storage? Then, you can choose Google Drive and Dropbox among the data source options in RDM. The different RDM data sources
Backup and Restore Remote Desktop ConnectionsWe all know that bad things happen, and the possibility of data loss is always there. Luckily, Devolutions offers a free online backup feature with RDM. The Online Backup automatically backs up the data from your data source to the Devolutions cloud. Devolutions claims that the Online Data is encrypted using a client key, therefore it is impossible for Devolutions to access your information. If you register a free Devolutions account, you can use the online backup feature in RDM. Then, youll only need to configure a backup name in RDM, which automatically activates the online backup. Activating RDM Online Backup
When needed, you can restore online backups to the current or new data source. You can find the list of online backups in File > Backups > Restore. Then, you can select which online backup to restore. Choosing an online backup to restore With the flexibility to choose different data sources, coupled with the online backup feature, youll never have to worry about keeping your RDM data protected. Migrating from Other Remote Desktop Connection ManagersIf you decide to try out Devolutions RDM and are already using another remote desktop connection manager, you can import existing connections. For example, RDM supports importing sessions from various tools like those listed below.
The demo below shows importing remote desktop sessions from a mRemoteNG connection file. As a result, RDM creates new entries for the imported connections. Importing Remote Desktop Connections in RDM Remote Desktop Connection Display ModesDisplay modes are the different modes or layouts with how you can view your sessions. When opening a remote desktop session in RDM, there are three display modes Embedded (tabbed), Undocked, and External. The list below briefly explains each display mode.
RDM Tabbed Sessions
RDM Undocked Session Display
RDM External Session Display Built-In Management ToolsSuppose you need to access information from a remote desktop, such as running services or the registry. RDM has built-in management tools for that, all located inside RDM, making admin tasks more manageable. With a single click, you can do the following actions.
Other Interesting FeaturesDevolutions RDM is more than just a typical remote desktop manager. Below are some of the other interesting features RDM offers. Secure Information Manager save credentials and even personal information as you would in a dedicated password manager. Moreover, the list below shows other information types you can save in RDM.
Import Login import your saved login details from other password managers. Furthermore, the list below shows the third-party password managers RDM supports for importing.
File Repository save various documents and files into the data source such as the those in the list below.
Web Browser you can create a website entry optionally including the username and password. You can then open the saved website inside RDM, auto-filling the username and password if present. However, know that some sites do not support using web browsers embedded in a different application. As a result, the below screenshot shows Google not allowing login saying that the browser might not be secure. Web browser in RDM File Editor built-in editor for Html, Spreadsheet, Rich Text, and Text files. For instance, the screenshot below shows an Excel spreadsheet inside the RDM spreadsheet editor. RDM Spreadsheet editor The Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager offers a lot of other features to explore. If you want to learn more, visit the support page, where you can find help documentation, tutorials, and more. mRemoteNGMulti-Remote Next Generation or mRemoteNG is an open-source and free remote desktop connections manager. mRemoteNG carries features such as multi-tabbed connections and multi-protocol support. The supported protocols as of version 1.76.20 are:
InstallationThere are two ways to get mRemoteNG; as an MSI installer or a ZIP file. The ZIP file lets you use mRemoteNG as a portable tool because you can save it to a USB drive. Handy if you use different computers. Not only does it make mRemoteNG portable, but the saved connection file(s) are also. mRemoteNG download options Remote Desktop Connection ManagementmRemoteNG lets you create folders which is useful if you want to group remote connections. Putting remote connections in a folder helps you apply the same configuration, including credentials to all remote desktops. Inheritance is a setting that sets whether the remote connection will inherit all its parent folders properties. Inheritance is optional, and its default state is off. You can turn on inheritance on each connection. mRemoteNG group properties inheritance Remote Desktop Connection Display ModesThere are only two display options to open remote desktop connections; tabbed and full screen. The screenshot below shows mRemoteNG with opened remote desktop connections in a tabbed view, for instance. mRemoteNG tabbed view Backing Up Connection FilesmRemoteNG uses a connection file in XML format to store all your remote desktop connections. The connection file is saved in the same folder as the mRemoteNG executable file by default. However, mRemoteNG does not restrict the location where you want to save the connection file. Meaning, it is possible to save your connection files to a cloud-synced location such as Google Drive or OneDrive. Additionally, mRemoteNG automatically keeps a backup of the connection file after saving every modification. mRemoteNG connection file and connection file backups Other Interesting FeaturesHere are other interesting and useful features that comes with mRemoteNG.
Visit the mRemoteNG documentation to learn more. RD TabsThe following remote desktop manager, RD Tabs, claims to be the original multi-tabbed remote desktop client. And as the name implies, RD Tabs primary feature is multi-tabbed remote desktop connections. But thats not all. InstallationTo install RD Tabs, you can download the latest version from the Avian Waves RD Tabs download page. As of this writing, the newest version is 3.0.12. Also, there is no portable version for RD Tabs. What youll get from the download is an installer file. Install RD Tabs Remote Desktop Connection ManagementAt first, you may think that RD Tabs is just another GUI frontend for MSTSC. But as soon as you start adding new connections, youll realize that RD Tabs is highly customizable remote desktop connection manager. Looking at the RD Tabs options, there are a lot of customizations to control remote desktop connections. Below are some RD Tabs options.
The screenshot below is the RD Tabs default interface, where you can create a new remote connection on the fly, for example. RD Tabs main interface Saved remote desktop connections use a folder tree structure. Remote desktops are called favorites, and groups are called folders. For instance, in the screenshot below, there is one folder named Lab and two remote desktop connections under it. Remote desktop connections in RD Tabs are called Favorites Remote Desktop Connection Display ModesThere are several viewing modes or layouts to open remote connections, such as multi-tabbed, detached tabs, and multi-pane. For example, the screenshot below shows RD Tabss default view, which is multi-tabbed. RD Tabs multi-tabbed remote desktop view In addition, the image below shows RD Tabs multi-pane tabbed layout for the admins who prefer to work in a single-window remote desktop. RD Tabs multi-pane layout Remote Desktop Connection BackupsRD Tabs also allows you to export all application settings and saved favorites. This feature helps keep RD Tabs configuration data portable, which also serves as a backup. To back up connections to a file, press F6 on your keyboard while inside RD Tabs, or click Favorites > Manage Favorites. And on the Manage Favorites window, click Export All to begin exporting all the connections. Exporting Favorites in RD Tabs When you want to backup RD Tabs settings to a file, click on Tools > Options or press F3 on your keyboard while inside RD Tabs. On the RD Tabs options window, click on Export. Exporting RD Tabs Settings
Other Interesting Features
To know more about RD Tabs, refer to the included help file or the RD Tab official website. Microsoft Remote Desktop Manager AppIt would be irresponsible in an article about remote desktop managers in Windows, not to mention Microsofts own app called Remote Desktop. InstallationYou can download the Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the Microsoft Store. Microsoft Remote Desktop in the Microsoft Store When you launch the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, the first thing that catches your eye is its minimalistic and modern interface, a far cry from its legacy predecessor. Microsoft Remote Desktops main user interface Built-In Credential ManagementRemote Desktop has a built-in credential manager, which lets you save multiple credentials. When adding new remote connections, you are allowed to select a saved credential from a dropdown. Choosing from pre-saved credentials helps avoid login errors and account lockouts, as a result. Choosing a saved credential when adding a new remote connection Remote Desktop Connection Display ModesWhen its time to open a remote connection, there are two options to display the remote desktop; in the same window as the main user interface or in separate windows. Theres no real advantage to using the single-window display mode. Because using this option means that you may only view one remote desktop at a time, which can be challenging when managing multiple remote desktop sessions. For example, the screenshot below shows the single-window remote desktop view in the Microsoft Remote Desktop app. Microsoft Remote Desktop single-window remote desktop connections view The second option is to open remote desktops in separate windows. Users accustomed to viewing multiple remote desktop windows, like side-by-side, would benefit from this display option. For example, the screenshot below shows the multiple windows remote desktop connections. Microsoft Remote Desktop multiple windows view Remote Desktop Connection BackupsWhats more, Remote Desktop allows you to backup the remote connections to a file. Meaning, restoring the remote connections from backup is possible, too. The backup and restore feature may come in handy when moving between computers or accidental data deletion. Backing up connections and settings
Other Interesting FeaturesSome of the other Remote Desktop app features are:
To know more about the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, visit the Get started with the Microsoft Store Client page. MultiDeskAnother remote desktop connection manager that is compact, portable, and lightweight is MultiDesk. MultiDesk is a tabbed remote desktop manager that acts as a GUI frontend of the built-in Remote Desktop Connection Client (MSTSC). InstallationTheres no installation required to use MultiDesk. You only need to download the latest MultiDesk zip file. Then, extracted its contents on your computer. After extracting the zip, open the MultiDesk64.exe or MultiDesk.exe (for 32-bit systems) to launch the remote desktop manager. Remote Desktop Connection ManagementThe interface uses a tree view to represent the hierarchy of groups and servers. Admins can set a credential to a group, which each server in the group inherits. The steps to add a new group and set a credential is listed below.
Adding a new group in MultiDesk The screenshot below shows MultiDesk after adding a group and servers. Adding a credential to a group of remote systems in MultiDesk After adding remote connections, there are two ways to open remote desktops; connecting to one remote desktop at a time or connecting to all remote desktops under a group. The screenshot below shows connecting to a group of remote desktops at once. Connecting to a group of remote machines at once in MultiDesk Remote Desktop Connection Display ModesMultiDesk can display remote desktop connections in two ways; in tabs or full screen. In the tabbed view, the remote desktop connections are shown in separate tabs inside MultiDesk (refer to the screenshot below). The tabbed display mode makes switching between remote desktop sessions convenient. MutiDesk Tabbed Remote Desktop Display Mode On the other hand, in full-screen mode, the remote desktop session covers the entire computer screen. Youll need to minimize the current session to get to other remote desktops. Remote Desktop Connection BackupOne thing lacking from MultiDesk is the ability to export and import connections from the main program. If you are concerned about losing your remote desktop connections, your workaround is to back up the file MultiDesk.xml. The MultiDesk.xml file is where MultiDesk saves all remote desktop connections. The file is located in the same folder as the MultiDesk program. The MultiDesk.xml file is located in MultiDesk executable folder How you back up the connection file is up to you, your options are open. But, one convenient way is to sync the MultiDesk.xml file to cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive. Other Interesting FeaturesMultiDesk is light on features because it is a tool that is focused on its primary purpose to manage remote desktop connections.
To learn more about MultiDesk, visit the MultiDesk documentation page. Remote Desktop Connection Managers Side By SideLets wrap up with a summary of all the features of the different remote desktop connection managers this article covered. The table below shows the remote desktop manager features side by side comparison.
Choosing a Remote Desktop Connection ManagerWhen choosing a remote desktop manager, theres no one size fits all. The sensible action is to consider first your personal, team, or business requirements. More features dont necessarily mean better or that you need them. For example, if you only need the basic functionalities, mRemoteNG is an excellent choice. With mRemoteNG, you can quickly get set up and start adding and managing your remote desktop connections. But, if you require a more centralized remote desktop connection manager, you will benefit more with Devolutions RDM. RDM comes with lots of useful features for a free tool. While some parts may seem like bells and whistles, its good to know that those features are there if youll need them. Subscribe to Stay in TouchNever miss out on your favorite ATA posts and our latest announcements!Subscribe to Adam the Automator for updates: More from Adam The Automator & Friends
RelatedMeet Our SponsorsPluralSight Courses
|