bit-tech Shopping: Apple Remote Desktop 3 (Full Product)

• Mac OS X 10.3
• Mac OS X 10.4

Rating: 8

Time with product: 8 Days

Strengths: Ability to manage multiple remote machines, and to deploy tasks via a server. Ability to deploy package updates from one source to many client machines on a schedule that fits each user.

Weaknesses: Depending upon network speed and screen resolution, slow screen redraws. Difficult to configure passing through firewalls - although this isn't a weakness of the product, just how it's often used.

Summary: Great tool - not only for maintenance of any size LAN, but also for instruction and user help desk administration from afar. Really useful tutorials available at seminars.apple.com about how to extend the usability of this product, and Automator provides further flexibility for routine, repetitive tasks.One sour note is that it's kind of annoying that one must pay for another unlimited client license to utilize the task server option, which is very similar in practice to Software Update, only within your own LAN universe. Although I understand the need for this from a licensing standpoint, this practice results in a very expensive solution - over USD 1,000.That said, there are other options - Timbuktu and plain vanilla VNC - but ARD is the class act when it comes to core Apple remote administration. You won't be sorry you spent the money - at least not for a single unlimited user license.