ARD vs timbuktu
 

I need to have control over a mac at a recording studio. I do not know which software is better, apple timbuktu or apple remote desktop. what are the differences?

I have only ever used ARD, and I think it's fab. I can't image anything else being much better (unless it's cheaper or something).

I assume you know about the features of ARD - observe, control, reports, remote commands etc... Dunno what else you'd need.

Timbuktu is expensive. You need one copy per machine (I own 4, but used them primarily in pre-OS X days, so only one is X-compliant). I'm setting up a server, and will certainly use ARD rather that update a copy of TB2. Where TB2 shines is cross-platform; I still use it to control a PC.

Apple doesn't make Timbuktu...right?

Tb2 is a nice app, but very expensive (though ARD is no slouch in the $ department). It allows for cross-platform controls, file pushing/pulling, secure connections using SSH, and a host of nice user/admin interaction features.

ARD is just about the same beast. However, it's much less 'cross platform' in that via the ARD admin app you can only connect to alternate OS boxes that have a VNC server running. Otherwise, if you're supporting a lot of Macs ARD is very nice because you can push updates, UNIX commands, installer packages, drop files (but not get files, at least with version 2.x), and other user/admin interaction features.

The Mac is at a recording studio? Please tell me it's not running a DAW such as Pro Tools while you're viewing it? A DAW is a very CPU-hungry process, and it does not work well when CPU cycles are being sucked away by ARD or Timbuktu or any other remote screen-viewing app. Viewing a DAW's screen is likely to cause glitches and digital distortion.

In other words, I'd highly recommend against doing this if the computer that you are viewing is running a DAW while you are remote-viewing it. If the computer is just for accounting or something, or if you're only viewing it while it's not running a DAW, then no problem.

Trevor

Apple doesn't make Timbuktu. It is made by Netopia, who also makes routers and other broadband hardware.

Trevor

After reading Yellow's post, I checked on ARD 3.1 - at $299 for 10 it's very pricey and there's no twin pack on offer. A twin pack for TB2 is $180, but a single (which is all I need since I have one registered OS X copy, albeit version 7.x) is $95. I know which way I'll swing.

And, Apple doesn't make TB2 - right.

I think MBHockey meant that as an indicator of which app might be "better", one made by Apple for Apple or a 3rd party jobby.

pressure, the original poster, mentioned "apple timbuktu".

Trevor

I've never found that Apple's made by Apple for Apple apps were any better than the best third party jobbies, and I bought my first Mac in 1986. The one major exception, in my experience, was ClarisCAD and ClarisCAD II, which served me well for years past Apple's decision to drop their Claris stuff. The one thing you can often count on with Apple Apps is that they don't "take liberties" and invent their own application specific ways of doing things and thus fail at the next upgrade. There are exceptions to that too, of course.

I'm a totally satisfied user of Timbuktu. Right this very moment I'm using VNC instead because I'm a consultant and that's what the client has on his boxes. Even over fast LAN, it blows chunks. Sluggish, video delays, disappearing mouse, etc. And no file transfer.

ARD is better than VNC but pretty useless in an x-plat environment. I can Timbuktu from an 10.4.8 box to an XP box in Florida, to an OS 8.6 box in New Jersey, and to an NT Server in the file server room. With the Macs, I can move copied-to-clipboard data back and forth. I can move files back and forth with ease and elegance and unlike AFP or SMB connections, without depositing OSX Finder-file crap on the PCs or OS 8/9 Macs. (Or even facing the slow-redraw problems of scrolling windows chock-full of huge TIFF files and movies).

Which is why I placed "better" in quotes.

ok, now I am a little confused. I do not know about this server that needs to run.

we just got a new imac mactel. It will be running security but also I must have control of the box when I am not there just in case securityspy crashes. I will not be spying on anyone or using any kinds of commands, I just need access to it incase it fails.

It will not be used while we use logic to record or anything.

how does ARD or timbuktu run, does it need to be in the dock? Where does it get installed? How can you get rid of it, does it pose a security risk?

Both are client apps, meaning they run a service and an external app connects to them and one needs to authenticate in order to have the client app function.
The ARD client is already built into OS X, just not enabled or configured.

Timbuktu runs a faceless root daemon called "Timbuktu Host" that is the server on any machine with Timbuktu installed, and you run the client on the Mac from which you want to run any other machine. It has an icon in the dock. The Timbuktu app does not need to be running on the machine to be controlled, and no icon for the host appears in the dock - it starts up when the machine does. An optional menu bar icon is installed on every machine as a shortcut to the client that can be used to turn off the host as well.

You only need to buy ARD for the machine you'll be using to control other Macs, they have ARD Client built in that you connect to.

The free versions of VNC and of the like do not usually offer encryption when connecting, but the paid versions do. A lot of times I have made a simple SSH tunnel and used either remote desktop (from M$ for windows boxes), or VNC through that ssh tunnel to make the connection encrypted.

However, I am not sure how much security you need, if it is being done remotely over the internet you better have an ecnrypted connection.

I am certain that both ARD and Timbuktoo offer encrypted connections.

then what is this

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...p31client.html

what does this client do? Its a free down load. I am still confused.

so you mean to say, all we need to do is buy just ONE copy of ARD? Apple has everything already built in right? so whats the client do?

The client is already installed on every Mac OS X box by default.
What you purchase from Apple is the admin piece so you can actually connect to the remote Macs. The licensing limitation is for how many Macs you can have "registered" in (added to) the admin piece.

yes but if we only use 1 will we have to update from apple?

is there 2 pieces of software needed? client and admin.... if apple already has it built in why do we need it again? also, this is scary but, it doesnt say which ports on a router we need to open up.... does it bypass router security?


http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304569


Apple Remote Desktop 3.1 provides two update packages:

Apple Remote Desktop 3.1 Client
Apple Remote Desktop 3.1 Admin

Last time, thought I was pretty clear about this..

ARD client is built into every OS X install (from 10.2 on).
Without purchasing ARD, you cannot get the admin app.
Without the admin app you cannot connect to a remote ARD client.
If you only have 1 Mac to control, then you only need a 10 license version of ARD.
If you plan on controlling more than 10 Macs, then you need to purchase the unlimited license version of ARD.
A simple Google search reveals the port(s) ARD uses.

The ARD software that is installed on each OS X machine provides a VNC server. So you need a VNC client program to "talk" to that server.
Those are the terms used in the VNC world - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VNC
But Apple seems to use the opposite convention - calling the software that is on each OS X machine an ARD "client" and the other part they call "admin".

And of course ARD supplies much more than just VNC - but if all you need to do is see and control the screen of a remote Mac, the builtin VNC server and a free VNC client program will do fine.

This has the port forwarding information:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106847