Major update to Apple Remote Desktop in development

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Rumor has it that a new version of Apple Computer's remote desktop management software will boast over a dozen major feature enhancements including true drag-and-drop copy support and Spotlight search integration.



The new version, expected to be released as Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 sometime later this year, is being developed to leverage Apple's Spotlight search technology and allow administrators to perform user specific searches on client systems running a version of the company's Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" operating system, tipsters say.



Major advancements in file copying are also in store, including precise drag-and-drop copy support between administrative computers and remote clients. Tipsters say a new copy engine with support for 64-bit file sizes will let administrators limit copy bandwidth, encrypt transfers and define user and group permissions for file copies.



Another feature expected to delight users of Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 is network copy and paste, which should grant administrators true copy and paste functionality between a local system and remote clients. Meanwhile, an administrative "Curtain Mode" will optionally block a client's view of the desktop while an administrator is controlling the system.



It's further rumored that Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 will introduce an auto-install feature that will let administrators prepare software install packages for mobile systems that may be offline from time to time. Tipsters claim the feature will be capable of detecting when the mobile systems return to the network and then subsequently perform the software installs.



Other features expected to garner attention in the upcoming release include new reporting features that detail client login accesses and application usage, AES-128 bit encryption, a task history list, and improved Directory Services support.



Additionally, tipsters says Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 will come wrapped in a redesigned interface reminiscent of the company's Mail 2.0 application and feature added support for Kerberos, AppleScript, and smart computer lists.



It's unclear precisely where the software lies in its development cycle or when it's scheduled for release. The last major update to Apple Remote Desktop came in June of 2004 when Apple introduced version 2.0 with over 50 new management features.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    Bad enough that ARD 2.0 is incompatible with 1.0 and now they are working on a 3.0?
  • Reply 2 of 14
    Quote:

    Originally posted by OriginalMacRat

    Bad enough that ARD 2.0 is incompatible with 1.0 and now they are working on a 3.0?



    how is it incompatible i thought the client built in to the OS so all updating to ARD 2 or 3 changes is application the adminitrator uses,
  • Reply 3 of 14
    ARD 2.0 cannot connect to ARD 1.0 clients. Apple did not make an ARD 2.0 client for MacOS 9. If you are in education and have labs of MacOS 9 machines, this is a BIG incompatibility.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    fahlmanfahlman Posts: 740member
    There's a thread here on AppleInsider about OSXvnc 1.6 that allows a second (and third, and fourth, etc) person to login to a computer and all use it at the same time while the local user doesn't notice a difference. I wish ARD was capable of that.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    Auto Install Features are how people put spyware on machines.... bad idea.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Catman4d2

    Auto Install Features are how people put spyware on machines.... bad idea.



    No, Auto-install features are how sys admins update networked computers without having to go to each machine to install them, don't have to make sure all the machines are booted at any one time, and make sure travelers get updates when they finally return. Administration tools like ARD have no bearing on spyware/adware.



    Spyware gets installed on machines due to either running an installer for some product the also includes the spyware (this includes most of the file sharing apps on windows), or by browsers allowing ActiveX controls to be downloaded and installed/ran when going to certain web pages.
  • Reply 7 of 14
    macvaultmacvault Posts: 323member
    Quote:

    Additionally, tipsters says Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 will come wrapped in a redesigned interface reminiscent of the company's Mail 2.0 application and



    Hah! That sux. The mail interface is an abomination.



    Also, I wish Apple would include ARD in OS X, as MS does with RDC. Any chance of this?
  • Reply 8 of 14
    kim kap solkim kap sol Posts: 2,987member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Macvault

    Hah! That sux. The mail interface is an abomination.



    Also, I wish Apple would include ARD in OS X, as MS does with RDC. Any chance of this?




    Funny...I find the Mail interface to be the cleanest interface I've seen. Simple and beautiful. I wish Apple would drop brushed-metal interfaces for certain apps and migrate them to the Mail interface. Especially in the Finder's case.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by OriginalMacRat

    ARD 2.0 cannot connect to ARD 1.0 clients. Apple did not make an ARD 2.0 client for MacOS 9. If you are in education and have labs of MacOS 9 machines, this is a BIG incompatibility.



    ARD is written in Cocoa. OS 9 does not have an mach-o objective-c runtime and was never going to have one.



    OS 9 is legacy and is being dropped.



    Educators either get on board or waste more money switching platforms.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    cesarcesar Posts: 102member
    I think apple should just use the metal brush interphase por iApps, also, I love the new spotlight, preference panel or for example the dictornary, see image below:







    I think all server apps and ARD 3.0, as the finder, should use this new tiger GUI. i did not like ARD 2.X GUI, metal brush is so iApp.



    I also like very mush the Pages and keynote toolbar, simple but useful. maybe apple should use this GUI for ProApps and server tools, like Workgroup Manager, server admin or ARD.



  • Reply 11 of 14
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Macvault

    Hah! That sux. The mail interface is an abomination.



    Also, I wish Apple would include ARD in OS X, as MS does with RDC. Any chance of this?




    my only problem with the mail interface is their insistence on encapsulating perfectly good icons inside those glossy pill buttons. but heck, i don't care what anyone says... the different "teams" do not have any central authority that governs the interface anymore. sometimes, that spawns innovation. other times, inconsistency. but it does give you a hint as to how huge an endeavor the mac os as a whole IS.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    fahlmanfahlman Posts: 740member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Macvault

    I wish Apple would include ARD in OS X, as MS does with RDC. Any chance of this?



    ARD and RDC are very different. While they both let you use a computer from remote location ARD has a lot more power than RDC. If you're looking for a solution similar to RDC for the Mac try a VNC server such as OSXvnc and a VNC viewer like Chicken of the VNC.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    I hope the rumors are true - ARD is sorely lacking features that any sys admin NEEDS - I don't care what it looks like, I just need it to do more.
  • Reply 14 of 14
    Quote:

    Originally posted by OriginalMacRat

    ARD 2.0 cannot connect to ARD 1.0 clients. Apple did not make an ARD 2.0 client for MacOS 9. If you are in education and have labs of MacOS 9 machines, this is a BIG incompatibility.



    Thanks for clearing that up for me, oh I've heard of somthing called mac manager is that kinda like ARD?
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