Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan) vs. SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
RDCMan
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
RDCMan, or Remote Desktop Connection Manager from Microsoft, is a utility for managing multiple remote desktop connections. Once shut down due to a vulnerability in version 2.7, RDCMan is now updated and part of the Sysinternals family of tools. The 2.8 release fixes CVE-2020-0765, the XML parsing vulnerability. As of May, 2025, RDCMan is in version 3.1.N/A
SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Score 6.2 out of 10
N/A
SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere provides help desk technicians a simple, cloud-based, remote-support solution to easily access endpoint devices. It features diagnostic and troubleshooting tools to help resolve issues more quickly. Using a laptop or a mobile app users can access end-device details, running sessions, and deep registry editing capabilities. The user can record sessions, add notes, view reports, and create customized surveys for additional end…N/A
Pricing
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
RDCManSolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Features
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
8.1
Ratings
0% below category average
SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
9.1
Ratings
11% above category average
Screen sharing6.70 Ratings8.10 Ratings
File transfer10.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Instant message9.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication5.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers7.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session10.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile10.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations10.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard8.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Session record7.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Annotations8.00 Ratings5.90 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts7.00 Ratings9.90 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control8.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
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Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
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Medium-sized Companies
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Score 9.0 out of 10
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Score 9.0 out of 10
Enterprises
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Score 9.0 out of 10
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Score 9.0 out of 10
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User Ratings
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Likelihood to Recommend
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.3
(0 ratings)
8.1
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE)
Likelihood to Recommend
It is a useful tool and definitely beats other alternatives and options. There is always room for improvement however which is why I gave a rating of 8. From a core function perspective Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager is definitely what you want but down the line I think certainly some bells and whistles would be nice.
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There was one project wherein we wanted the fast result, and the deadline was quick for one day. We used SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE) as a virtual network remotely. We took RDP of that and took connection. The result what we got was too quick like within some hours. We showed the same to our clients and received their appreciation once it went LIVE. Thank you so much team for this. Apart from this I never found this less appropriate
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Pros
  • One thing it does well is being able to deploy it quickly and easily. It takes very little space to install the actual program and also installs quickly. Once installed, it is relatively to start creating groups and adding servers/machines, without users needing to be trained in how to do this, or consulting the documentation.
  • Another thing it does well is having an easy to use layout within the Microsoft Remote Connection Manager (RDCMan) window. There is a tree directory structure, showing groups, and corresponding servers/machines. There are also thumbnails of servers/machines that are displayed. This helps IT, Administrators, to see what is connected and what is not, along with understanding what is on the actual screen of the live server/machine in realtime.
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  • Remote control is solid, rarely loses connection
  • Allows for control of the desktop prior to login
  • Allows for scripts to be executed in the background without disturbing users
  • Allows for batch rollout of scripts across multiple machines
  • Allows us to see the end users' desktop - as opposed to RDP
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Cons
  • You can't drag and drop files between local and remote sessions—something many modern RDP tools allow, and it saves a ton of clicks.
  • You can export settings, but not as CSV or something readable/editable outside RDCMan. Makes documentation or sharing config info harder.
  • Hovering over minimized or background sessions shows nothing—no live thumbnail or last screen capture like some tools do.
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  • Connectivity to a helpdesk/knowledgebase would be nice feature so users can do self-help
  • Offering a branded version of the client/agent would be a nice touch for businesses
  • A web-only version of the technician console for remote support would be a nice feature
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Usability
As alluded to in previous responses it is a very functional tool. It allows me to do my job quickly and efficiently every single day. There are little to no issues using the connection on a day to day basis. It handles everything you need from a remote connection perspective.
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It's a good tool overall, but could be better.
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Support Rating
Plenty of information and support online, and with many things it's pretty straight forward for the average tech to navigate and work with. But with most things online you're not the only person that's had the issue before, and using a search engine you should be able to figure it out.
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SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere is an easy to use software package. The manuals are easy to understand, and the installation is simple and straightforward. The Maintenance and support costs are relatively reasonable, and we maintain support and maintenance strictly for the upgrades rather than support. Over the years, SolarWinds has released numerous feature enhancements to the software package, making SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere indispensable on our network.
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Alternatives Considered
The Avanti Software needed alot of attention if you are new to such tools. So for that reason we chose Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager because of the more user friendly use of it. Also because it integrades great with windows and the remote servers we have. Thats also why we dont use TeamViewer either.
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Its integration with Samanage and cost were the key deciding factors over TeamViewer (which can be VERY expensive despite how easy and nice it is to use) and it's just far more functional and less limited than VNC or RDP or Chrome Remote Desktop options or even the screen share with Microsoft Teams (which only works when using the installed Teams app). It's important to note the deployment methods are nice and powerful too and support has been great so far.
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Return on Investment
  • I can troubleshoot application errors faster for clients.
  • While troubleshooting, I spend less time fumbling to find credentials and other machine-specific settings.
  • Being able to connect to the same machines from multiple devices helps me when I'm not in the office.
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  • seamless installation of MSI or EXE
  • No Codes to enter when installing agent
  • Agent automatically connects to cloud dashboard
  • our deployment tool has messed up a couple of times, so agents get uninstalled or not installed when this occurs, and we can't see a computer in the dashboard
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ScreenShots

RDCMan Screenshots

Screenshot of a view of RDCMan 2.22Screenshot of a view of RDCMan 2.22Screenshot of a view of RDCMan 2.81

SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE) Screenshots

Screenshot of Fast remote controlScreenshot of Live chatScreenshot of Remote desktop on mobileScreenshot of Reporting engineScreenshot of Secrets vaultScreenshot of Session information details