Remote Tools Overview

Remote Tools is a suite of tools that you can use to control or report on a remote client computer. The Remote Tools suite consists of the following features:

Remote Control
Remote Reboot
Remote Chat
File Transfer
Remote Execute
Windows/Windows NT Diagnostics
DOS-based Diagnostics
Ping Test

Note In SMS 2.0, all remote tool features are grouped under the new name “Remote Tools” to clarify the distinction between the Remote Control feature (the ability to control a remote client’s desktop) and the Remote Tools suite (the collection of remote functions). Because this distinction is unnecessary on the client side of the application, the term “Remote Control” is still used to describe all client-side programs and registry settings that provide the client side of Remote Tools functionality.

Remote Tools is an optional component that you can install on an SMS primary site, secondary site, or on a Windows NT server as an SMS Administrator console during SMS 2.0 Setup. In order for Remote Tools to function, the Remote Tools Agent must be installed on each client you wish to control. For clients outside the SMS site boundaries or authenticating domain, correct Windows NT security credentials need to be provided before Remote Tools can be used on the client.

When you enable the Remote Tools Client Agent on an SMS primary site server, the client-side components are automatically installed on all clients that are subsequently discovered and installed within the SMS primary site boundaries.