Network Computing review -
February 2000 issue
NetSupport Manager is a remote control
software package for PCs running all versions of Windows (including Windows 2000), OS/2
and DOS. Any OS can control another: so, for example, a DOS workstation can remote control
a Windows NT machine.
And the controlling does not have to support the same video resolution as the one being
controlled. Applications include everything from file retrieval through teaching to
technical support and help desk activities. 'Drag and drop' is supported for intuitive
file transfer.
It works across a network (wide-area or local), supporting all major protocols including
NetBIOS/NetBEUI, IPX/SPX and TCP/IP. Protocol support is completely automatic and
transparent, so all protocols can be used simultaneously. Dial up or a direct serial
connection is also supported for standalone machine users, such as teleworkers. In
addition, a dial-up port can be used to provide dial-in access to a a LAN as well as a
standalone machine.
Version 5.0 introduces a major new feature: Web-browser integration, which means the
availability of NetSupport Manager as an Active-X application. This offers portable remote
control from any location by automatically pulling NetSupport Manager across the Internet
and installing it using Active-X on a Web browser. Also new with this release is support
for Voice over IP (VoIP), which allows a two-way conversation or a voice broadcast using
the PC's standard sound card. This VoIP feature is invaluable in help desk, technical
support, or instructional application as it allows conversations to proceed simultaneously
with remote control.
Other security features include passwords (of course), dialback security for dial-up
connections, the ability to restrict remote control operations that are permitted, and a
full audit trail.
Remote control functionality available over a client can be limited in a way that depends
on which control PC is connecting. Remote rebooting is possible, and can be set to be
automatic following the closure of a remote control session, but can also be prohibited if
required by security policies. You can also blank a PCs screen during remote control, so
that anyone passing by cannot see what you're doing.
The terminology used by NetSupport Manager to describe remote control scenarios is that
the 'control' computer is allowed by the 'client' computer to take control; in other
words, the 'client' is being controlled, while the 'control' is doing the controlling.
There is an SOS Help request feature from all client PCs for helpdesk applications. You
can remote control more than one client at the same time using scalable windows, and
broadcast a demonstration session to multiple PCs for training purposes.
Installation
Installation is absolutely straightforward on all OS platforms. We installed the
client on a Windows NT workstation, and the control on a Windows 98 PC. We tried first
over a 56k modem link and found performance to be very good, even over this limited
bandwidth dial-up connection, because of the compression techniques used and the fact that
client screens are cached by the control machine. The biggest problem that can arise over
low bandwidth connections is delays in displaying mouse movement, but the latency with
NetSupport was acceptable over a 56k modem link.
Over a LAN, the performance was, as you would expect, excellent but, if one or both of the
PCs is very low-spec, you can turn off the compression (which would absorb processing
power on both machines).
We liked the support for scripting, which can be used to schedule tasks and make full use
of all its functions in unattended mode, such as updating machines overnight. There is a
remote clipboard facility that allows cut-and-paste tasks to be performed between
applications running on the control and client machines. Remote, or redirected printing,
is supported so that, for example, when a control machine is running an application on a
client machine, any printed output can be redirected from the client's local printer, to
one at the controlling computer's site.
One of the difficulties inherent in technical support and help desk activities is knowing
exactly what hardware and software the client has. We were pleased to find that NetSupport
Manager provides the tools necessary to supply a full inventory of the remote workstation
-- something we have not seen in competing products.
We particularly liked the web-browser integration. This feature means that, wherever you
are, you can start up a remote control session with your office machine via any browser
you may have access to. You don't have to carry a notebook PC, or have the software with
you on disk. We would have liked to see a similarly easy way of deploying the client
software on an ad hoc basis, but we have found no other product that can do this, so it's
not really a criticism.
Of course, the client can download the software from your own server and install it, but
this is about 5 MBytes of code, and would take a while over a dial-up link.
NetSupport Manager is a mature, full-featured, and easy-to-use product lacking only in the
area of support for Macintosh and UNIX operating systems. It is easy to install and
provides all the security features we have come to expect from such products.NC
(February 2000)
Product: NetSupport Manager
Supplier: PCS
Tel: ++44 (0) 1733 322 505
Price: £114 GBP |
