Devolutions Centralizes Remote Desktop Management with RDM V11.7

RDM 11.7 is designed to quell the chaos associated with supporting multiple remote workers simply and quickly, no matter which OS they’re using.

RDM Enterprise Edition is designed to work with Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, Google Android, Apple iOS and Amazon FireOS devices. That means the product can support technicians on the go and across multiple platforms on multiple devices, giving them the ability to share information with other technicians.

RDM proves very easy to install, regardless of the platform. Android, iOS and Amazon versions can be installed on the fly, right from the appropriate app store, while Mac and Windows versions download and executed easily. The Windows installer is shown above. Most installations will take less than four mouse clicks. One caveat: Users may have to download some Microsoft Visual C++ libraries, but that process also is automated.

After installation, the product can launch automatically, bringing the user to a management screen that features connection wizards, settings wizard, a basic tutorial and other easily navigated features.

One of the more important settings is defining the data source. Simply put, this tells RDM what database to use to store information about connections. Ideally, the data source will be a shared element that all technicians have access to. By default, the data source is a SQLite file, and technicians can define different connection scenarios to support access to the database file.

RDM also incorporates support for cloud-based accounts, so the data related to a session is portable across multiple devices. A technician can define a Devolutions Cloud Account, which can be accessed by the product from any device the technician is using, to keep all pertinent information synchronized.

There is no additional charge to set up a cloud account, which can be assigned to an individual user and have its own security and password protection. Security around the cloud account is strong, using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection and including rules to ensure strong passwords.

Creating an entry to support a session is a very straightforward process. Technicians simply add a new entry to the database by clicking the “new entry” button and then select from pulldown lists what type of connection to define. They also can input additional optional information to help keep connection entries organized and easy to share.

One of the more interesting features of the product is the robustness of the options offered. For example, an RDP session offers every conceivable fine-tuning and control option. Administrators have so many choices that it can be somewhat overwhelming; they should focus only on what they need to get the job done.

Once a connection is defined, users are presented with a dashboard that provides shortcuts to all the defined options. With just a click of the mouse, users can start a session, manage the remote computer, look at events, perform TCP/IP troubleshooting and numerous other tasks. The software is designed to make it quick and easy to troubleshoot a remote system before taking full control of it.

For administrators responsible for supporting virtual servers, sessions and PCs, RDM proves to be a very powerful tool. Connection profiles, templates and entries can be shared across teams, giving junior technicians the opportunity to get experience controlling virtual machines. That proves to be a great capability for training as well as testing changes before those changes go live.

Once configured, RDM can access remote virtual machines and bring those sessions up on a local console to give administrators full access and control over a virtual machine regardless of where it is located. What’s more, the sessions can be further secured via virtual private network (VPN) connections and SSL encryption. Users can define templates to make it easy to set up new sessions for multiple virtual machines without having to re-enter critical information.

The product offers numerous management reports, which will prove useful for complex environments. The reports provide an easy-to-understand representation of critical elements such as password complexity, security groups, duplicate entries and so forth. That can help simplify a support environment that previously was difficult to manage.

Users will find the same ease of use and robustness, even if they are not using a Windows-based system. For example, the iOS interface proved very easy to use on the typical iPad, turning the tablet into a fully capable remote support device.