The Best Remote Desktop Connection Managers

When you are an IT systems administrator or manager, you must have the right tools at your disposal in order to do your job efficiently and accurately. A remote desktop connection tool is an essential part of troubleshooting because it helps you to quickly resolve end-user issues.

You could be spending that time on higher priority tasks instead of managing remote connections. You can focus on more important things when you use a remote desktop connection manager. SolarWinds® Dameware® Remote Support (DRS) for on-premises use and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE) for cloud use are my top picks. Check out our reviews of the best remote desktop connection managers below, or click on the links to jump ahead to each tool's review.

What Is a Remote Desktop Connection Manager?

Manage your remote desktop connections and sessions by using a remote desktop connection manager. Typically, enterprises have multiple Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions per day, which means having to enter credentials repeatedly. Even without having to make SSH and Telnet connections for troubleshooting, logging in and keeping track of these sessions becomes tiresome.

You won't have to log in to many remote connections per day when you use a remote desktop connection manager or RDP client.

Here are the best remote desktop connection managers.

There are several good remote desktop connection managers on the market today. These are my top five.

1. SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support

Dameware Remote Support is a high-quality remote administration software that helps you provide efficient end-user support when something goes wrong.

In addition to supporting multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, DRS comes with a number of utilities to assist with remote control and troubleshooting. Firstly, it can be connected either through a LAN or over the Internet. Troubleshooting through distributed networks can be done this way, enabling you to fix a problem even if your LAN is down. Secondly, DRS is capable of stopping, starting, or rebooting processes and services. Additionally, it can be used to copy and delete files and view and clear event logs.

DRS also provides you with several direct system tools and TCP utilities, allowing you to remotely troubleshoot without having to launch a full remote session. This helps keep productivity disruptions to a minimum while the problem is resolved.

DRS provides numerous Active Directory and user account management tools to manage and set up your Active Directory users, groups, and domains. In addition, you can remotely edit policies, reset passwords, and unlock accounts.

You can also centrally manage who has access to DRS itself and set up login processes, so you don’t have to re-enter credentials every time. With multi-factor authentication, DRS is a safe way to manage remote access troubleshooting within your IT environment.

You can download a free trial of Dameware Remote Support for up to 14 days.

2. SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere

Another top choice for me is Dameware Remote Everywhere, another tool offered by SolarWinds. DRE provides many of the same features as DRS, but is specifically designed for cloud environments. Additional features include remote access to mobile devices, live chat and connection for troubleshooting (including VoIP and videoconferencing), and support for Android and iOS devices.

The tool is otherwise similar. For use in a cloud setting, it is sold as an annual license with product support included. Furthermore, SolarWinds Service Desk integrates with the tool to provide a complete service and troubleshooting approach.

You can try Dameware Remote Everywhere for 14 days free of charge, just like Dameware Remote Support.

3. Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)

Regular remote connections can be established using Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan). It can save your login credentials, so you don't have to enter them every time you create a remote connection.

Also, RDCMan supports connections between virtual machines and consoles, enables you to create smart groups, and allows you to import servers from a text file. Although it can support RDP connections, it cannot support other protocols for a wider range of remote connections. The tool is essentially an RDP client, and other tools offer a much wider array of protocols.

You can download RDCMan for free through the Microsoft website.

4. Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager

It automatically launches and consolidates connections in one centralized window. With "one-click" connections, you can also save your login credentials, making it easier to manage multiple remote sessions.

The Evolutions Remote Desktop Manager allows you to share your remote sessions with team members and manage and control other users' access to your account. This tool provides a secure approach to managing remote desktop connections with password vaults and two-factor authentication.

A free trial of the Enterprise Edition is available.

5. mRemoteNG

mRemoteNG is an open-source program designed to serve as a centralized tool for managing remote connections. You can see your remote connections using a tabbed interface, and it supports several protocols to establish remote connections, including RDP, VNC, ICA, SSH, Telnet, HTTP/HTTPS, and raw socket connections.

Free but with limited features. The program is best suited to home users and IT staff in small businesses without the budget for a professional tool.

What is the Best Remote Desktop Connection Manager?

Think about the size of your business and the kind of problems you're trying to solve when choosing the right remote desktop manager for your business. When it comes to managing remote desktop connections, a free tool may be enough for small and midsized businesses. However, large organizations will need a premium tool with a wider range of features to support complex and distributed troubleshooting.

I recommend Dameware Remote Support to IT professionals looking for an on-premises solution. My pick for a cloud system is Dameware Remote Everywhere. There are free trials available for these and other premium tools, which can help you pick the right tool for your business.