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Continuing its campaign to push into the enterprise market, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) 
has updated its desktop management software to provide systems administrators with greater control over software distribution, asset management and remote assistance activities.
Remote Desktop 3 has also been optimized to run on Intel-based Macs.
New features or enhancements include speedier searches across multiple Macs; automation of more than 30 repetitive system administration tasks; a dashboard that allows administrators to observe remote systems; and autoInstall for installing software automatically on mobile 
systems when they return online.
"Essentially, it allows an administrator to control a number of Macs in the field," Roger Kay, principal with Endpoint Technologies Associates, told MacNewsWorld -- functionality that is key to enterprise-wide adoption of Mac computers.
The Enterprise Market
Apple has not made significant inroads into the enterprise, which is dominated by Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows operating system. Over recent months, Apple has redoubled its efforts to beef up market share in this space with the introduction of Intel-based computers and its recent beta release of Boot Camp, software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP with or without Mac OS X.
"These are all steps to convince Windows users -- particularly corporate Windows users -- that they can use a Mac with no problem," Kay said.
New Features
New features in Remote Desktop 3 include the following:
- System Status Indicators that let administrators check the overall health of multiple systems;
- Power Copy files, which Apple says is up to 11 times faster than in the previous version of Apple Remote Desktop;
- Remote Drag and Drop, which moves files and folders between local and remote computers;
- Remote Copy and Paste for transfer of text and images between local and remote computers;
- Persistent Task History and Task Templates to save and replicate repetitive tasks;
- Curtain Mode to hide the desktop of a system while it is being controlled remotely;
- Application Usage and User History Reports to track software compliance and monitor the use of unauthorized applications;
- Smart Computer Lists for managing systems based on specified criteria; and
- AES 128-bit encryption for secure communications between Apple Remote Desktop 3 and clients.
"With Apple Remote Desktop 3, we've delivered powerful innovations that make it even easier and more affordable to manage Macs," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
"Great new features such as remote Spotlight searching and customized Automator actions take advantage of innovations in Tiger and make Apple Remote Desktop 3 a valuable tool for anyone managing more than one Mac," he added.
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