How Remote Desktop Software Can Help Your Business

Remote desktop soft­ware is mainly used for trou­ble­shoo­ting computer support problems and is one of the most important ways in which compa­nies and indi­vi­duals can both decrease computer down­time and save money.

What is Remote Desktop Software?

Remote desktop soft­ware is a network or a device connected over the Internet that allows for a computer’s func­tion to be controlled by a tech support person at another computer at another loca­tion. An alter­na­tive defi­ni­tion would be a screen sharing soft­ware appli­ca­tion that takes the client’s screen content and actions and then displays them on the screen of the tech support person. The tech support person can be granted pc remote control in order to proceed with remote computer support.

The term “remote desktop” is also used in web confe­ren­cing, to refer to the confe­rence presenter’s computer screen. However in the case of remote desktop soft­ware, people are prima­rily concerned with tech support.

Forms of Remote Desktop Software

Remote desktop soft­ware is avail­able in three models: hosting, appli­ance and soft­ware. Its most important func­tion is to faci­li­tate a remote desktop connec­tion with your computer, where someone in another loca­tion has control over your desktop’s func­tions. In a remote assi­s­tance situa­tion, the ‘controlled computer’ is the one that is being managed and the ‘control­ling computer’ is the one that is doing the mana­ging. To faci­li­tate the control process, the control­ling computer displays the same infor­ma­tion as the controlled computer via desktop sharing soft­ware, and the image will be updated either at specific inter­vals or whenever the soft­ware regis­ters that the controlled computer’s display has changed. Commands given on the control­ling computer are then imple­mented by remote support on the controlled computer and, depen­ding on the type of soft­ware used, the controlled computer’s user can either parti­ci­pate in the session or may simply observe. Finally, several proto­cols — rules gover­ning how compu­ters commu­ni­cate over a network — apply speci­fi­cally to remote desktop soft­ware, inclu­ding cross-plat­form proto­cols, proto­cols using remote prin­ting and audio and those that improve commu­ni­ca­tion between the control­ling and controlled computers.

Advantages of Remote Desktop Software

Remote access and remote desktop soft­ware is ideal for trou­ble­shoo­ting problems on compu­ters located far away from computer support personnel. Not only is remote desktop soft­ware used in-house by large firms that occupy multiple buil­dings at one site or multiple floors in one buil­ding, it is also used by major computer suppliers to iden­tify and solve problems being expe­ri­enced with sold units. As this means custo­mers don’t have to bring their compu­ters in for repairs, online computer support saves both time and travel costs. And to save costs even further, free remote support solu­tions are avail­able. It can also signi­fi­cantly reduce computer down­time and is thus beco­ming more and more popular among computer users worldwide.