Remote Tools

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Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) includes Remote Tools that you can use to directly control and monitor remote clients running Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT versions 3.51, 4.0, and 5.0. Additionally, Remote Tools are supported for clients connecting through RAS (Microsoft Remote Access Service), and no special instructions are required for these clients.

Remote Tools are installed by default when you install SMS using the Express Setup option. However, if you use the Custom Setup option, Remote Tools are not installed by default. If Remote Tools are not already installed, you can run setup again and select this option (see Install Tools).

Before you can use Remote Tools, you must configure the Remote Tools Client Agent for your site (the Remote Control Client Agent is disabled by default). The Remote Control Client Agent will then be installed on clients.

You open the Remote Tools by selecting a client resource in the SMS Administrator console, pointing to Action, and then clicking Remote Tools. The Remote Tools window provides tools you can use for the selected client, such as Remote Reboot, Remote Chat, File Transfer, Remote Execute, Remote Control, and client diagnostics.

Related Topics 

About Setting Security for Remote Tools 

Remote Control Tool 

Remote Reboot Tool 

Remote Chat Tool 

File Transfer Tool 

Remote Execute Tool 

Ping Tool 

Running Diagnostics on Clients Overview 

Configure the Remote Tools Client Agent

  1. Cc723617.coe(en-us,TechNet.10).gif Navigate to Client Agents.

    Systems Management Server
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    Cc723617.elle(en-us,TechNet.10).gifSite Hierarchy
    Cc723617.elle(en-us,TechNet.10).gifsite name
    Cc723617.elle(en-us,TechNet.10).gifSite Settings
    Cc723617.elle(en-us,TechNet.10).gifClient Agents 

  2. Right-click Remote Tools, and then click Properties.

    Complete the tab settings as follows:

    • In the General tab, indicate whether to install the Remote Tools Client Agent site-wide and specify whether clients can change policy and notifications settings.

    • In the Security tab, specify who can initiate Remote Tools sessions on clients.

    • In the Policy tab, configure the level of remote control allowed and whether clients must grant permission for Remote Tools.

    • In the Notification tab, configure how users are notified when their computer is being remotely controlled.

    • In the Advanced tab, configure the default hardware-dependent Remote Tools settings, such as the compression level, default protocol, and screen acceleration. The settings in this tab must be configured before you can install the Remote Tools Client Agent. If you install the agent before you configure the advanced settings, changes to the settings will not affect clients that already have the Remote Control Client Agent installed.

Related Topics 

Remote Tools Client Agent Overview 

Control a Client Remotely

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to use the Remote Control tool on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to control, point to All Tasks, and then click Start Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click Remote Control.

    SMS establishes a remote control session with the client, and the Remote Control Client Viewer window opens. The Remote Control Client Viewer window has a moving black and yellow window border and displays the client's desktop. This window shows all real-time display, mouse, and keyboard actions. When the Remote Control Client Viewer window is active and the mouse is within the window, any mouse and keyboard actions you perform are also performed on the remote client's desktop. 

    Note Although Remote Control attempts to display real-time data on the client, the speed of the refresh depends on network bandwidth and link speed. For example, across a 36.6 Kbps modem connection, the Remote Control Client Viewer window display lags 3 to 8 seconds behind the client display. 

  3. Using the Remote Control Client Viewer window, perform the tasks you want to accomplish.

  4. When you are ready to end the Remote Control session, click the Control menu on the Remote Control Client Viewer and then click Close.

    - Or - 

    Click the Close button. 

Related Topics 

Configure Remote Control Parameters for the Remote Control Client Viewer 

Specify Hot Key Sequences for the Remote Control Client Viewer 

Display the Client Start or Tasklist Menu in a Remote Control Session 

Switch Between Programs Running on the Client During a Remote Control Session 

Simulate the CTRL+ALT+DELETE Sequence During a Remote Control Session 

Turn System Key Pass-Through On and Off During a Remote Control Session 

Use the Remote Control Navigation Window 

Remote Control Tool 

Remote Tools Overview 

Transfer Files to a Remote Client

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to use the File Transfer tool on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to transfer files to, point to All Tasks, and then click Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click File Transfer.

    SMS starts the File Transfer tool in the Remote Tools window. The Console box at the top displays the files and directories on the SMS Administrator console computer. The Remote Machine box at the bottom displays the files and directories on the selected client. 

  3. In the directory boxes for each computer, select the directories that you want to copy files between. Only local drives on both computers are displayed; network resources identified by drive letters are not displayed.

  4. In the file list for the computer you want to copy files from, select the files to copy.

  5. For the computer you want to copy files to, select the directory where you want to place the files.

    Note If the client operating system supports long file names, the File Transfer tool will also support long file names. 

  6. Click the Copy button next to the file list that contains the files you want to copy.

    A status dialog box displays the progress of the copy operation. 

  7. To end a copy operation, click Cancel.

Related Topics 

File Transfer Tool 

Remote Tools Overview 

Run a Program on a Remote Windows-Based Client

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to use the Remote Execute tool on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to run a program on, point to All Tasks, and then click Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click Remote Execute.

    The Run Program at User's Workstation dialog box opens.

  3. In the Command Line box, type the command for the program you want to run.

    The command must be in the client's path, or you must type the full path. (Remember, you are running under the user's security permissions, not your own.) 

  4. Click Run.

    The Status box in the Run Program at User's Workstation dialog box displays the current status of the program on the client. For example, if the client computer carries out the command without error, the status is Executed. 

  5. When you are finished running programs on the client, click Close.

Related Topics 

Remote Execute Tool 

Remote Tools Overview 

Restart a Client Remotely

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to use the Remote Reboot tool on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to restart, and then click Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click Remote Reboot.

  3. To restart the selected client, click Yes when prompted for confirmation.

After you restart a client, you cannot use the remote support utilities to gain access to that client until the Remote Tools Agent is started on the client.

Note When the client restarts, any program that requires user input before shutdown will wait for user input before rebooting. To start unassisted remote sessions (sessions when a user is not present), establish a remote control session with the client and make sure that no programs are running before you restart the client remotely. You can also restart a computer during a remote control session by simulating the CTRL+ALT+DELETE sequence.

Related Topics 

Remote Reboot Tool 

Remote Tools Overview 

Chat with a Remote Client

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to use the Remote Chat tool on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to start a chat session with, point to All Tasks, and then click Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click Remote Chat.

    When SMS establishes the session with the client, the Remote Chat communication windows open in the Remote Tools window. Also, a Remote Chat window opens on the client. 

  3. To "chat" with the user on the client, type in the text box at the bottom half of the window.

    The user's text appears in the box at the top of the window. 

  4. When you are finished, click Exit Chat.

    If you do not see this button, enlarge the Remote Tools window. 

Related Topics 

Remote Chat Tool 

Remote Tools Overview 

Ping a Remote Client

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to use the Ping tool on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to start ping, point to All Tasks, and then click Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click Ping.

The following test statistics appear in the Remote Tools window:

Test Time The number of seconds used to test the response time of the client's network adapter. Total Packets The number of packets (or "frames") received from the client. Packets/Second The average number of packets received per second (Total Packets divided by Test Time). Total Errors The number of errors that occurred during the ping test.

The thermometer at the left of the display shows the relative stability of the connection to the client, representing the Packets/Second value and by color code (red = slow, yellow = fair, green = fast).

Related Topics 

Ping Tool 

Remote Tools Overview 

View Diagnostics for a Windows NT Client

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to view diagnostics on a client in that collection.

In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the Windows NT client that you want to view diagnostics for, point to All Tasks, and then click Start Windows NT Diagnostics.

The Windows NT Diagnostics dialog box opens, displaying information about the selected client.

Related Topics 

View Diagnostics for a Non-Windows NT Client 

Remote Tools Overview 

View Diagnostics for a Non-Windows NT Client

Note You must have Use Remote Tools permission for a collection security object type to view diagnostics on a client in that collection.

  1. In the SMS Administrator console, right-click the client that you want to view diagnostics for, point to All Tasks, and then click Start Remote Tools.

  2. In the Remote Tools window, click the icon for the diagnostic utility you want to use.

    The dialog box for the utility appears with information that the utility has detected on the client. 

Related Topics 

Running Diagnostics on Non-Windows NT Clients Overview 

View Diagnostics for a Windows NT Client 

Remote Tools Overview 

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