Open Source Remote Desktop IT Support Tools

Being an ancient Helpdesk employee, for several years I have observed a lot more computer tools.

I specifically centered on the tools that allowed when deciding to take control of an online computer’s desktop.

Till today I’m smiling to myself regarding how users located on the other end with the line reacted fot it “self-propelled” mouse cursor and floating windows. Like the computer suddenly became haunted. Some of these even cried or called a wizard.

As Arthur C. Clarke stated: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. I couldn’t agree more when I think back to those reactions.

But that had been then.

At some point in time the basic purpose most in the remote support software had – enable you to see or communicate with the user’s desktop as you were there directly – became blurred.

More plus more companies and projects raced to provide new features, their software kept growing and receiving sophisticated, enterprise support tools that only large organizations can afford.

On the opposite hand, there was clearly Open Source projects that stayed true to the values of simplicity and general availability. Some of them greater than others. I’m discussing VNC (Virtual Network Computing) and many types of the Remote Framebuffer solutions around.

Leaving their source code on view, they allowed for active development and improvement of remote support tools. To name some hottest and contributing projects: TightVNC, UltraVNC or TigerVNC.

Some of which also give that you simply wide selection of features and are avalable for free.

Most from the free solutions however share a number of limitations that I see as causes for anyone brilliant tools not being nearly as called the enterprise – ready expensive software.

First is general degree of IT knowledge. Not everyone is an IT expert. Well, if individuals were, why could you even need IT support tools, right?
Second is accessibility restrictions between devices whenever you have threats that spawn on the Internet. We hide behind firewalls and threat management gateways that people feel secure us from those threats. The reality looks different, that is a topic for the next article.

Those VNC based tools came up with a couple of solutions to mitigate those limitations at some level. However, truly free versions still need either an IT specialist or direct Internet connection to set up vital between peers.

New remote device IT tools are visiting light each day, offering possible cures to both with the problems above. Some of those are Open Source and are also rarely available as donationware because they use publicly accessible servers to face traffic and security restrictions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Name *
Email *
Website