Remote access is a powerful tool for supporting remote and hybrid employees and IT teams, empowering them to connect to work devices from anywhere, on any device. However, there are different ways to access devices remotely, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
So, let’s examine agentless vs agent-based remote access, compare the differences, and see what each brings to business and IT teams for security, flexibility, and control.
Understanding Agentless & Agent-Based Remote Access
First, we need to understand what agentless and agent-based remote access are. While they’re both designed to enable users to connect to their remote devices from anywhere, they take significantly different approaches in how they connect.
What is Agentless Remote Access?
Agentless remote access is the ability to connect remotely to and control devices without installing a software agent on each endpoint. This typically uses protocols such as RDP, VNC, or SSH to connect, although browser-based connections are also possible.
Agentless remote access establishes policy-controlled connections without requiring an endpoint agent. These connections can be provisioned for attended or unattended use depending on the organization’s policies. While it is a fast and convenient method, it also tends to provide less control and fewer features than agent-based remote access. As such, it’s frequently used by IT teams to provide remote support to end users at a moment’s notice.
What is Agent-Based Remote Access?
Agent-based remote access uses a software agent installed on endpoints to enable remote connections. When a user needs to connect to their remote device, they access the software, which gives them full access via the agent.
While this does require installing software on every target endpoint, it provides deeper control, persistent connectivity, and advanced management features for unattended devices. Agentless connections can also enable unattended server access, though with a more limited feature set. As a result, agent-based remote access is often preferred by end users who will frequently need to access their remote devices for work while they’re on the go.
What Does a Remote Desktop Agent Do?
A remote desktop agent is a software component that’s installed on endpoint devices to enable remote access. When users want to access their remote devices, the software agent creates a secure connection, allowing users to control the connected device from their computer or mobile device.
In addition to remote connections and session management, remote desktop agents can also run features such as file transfer, clipboard sync, and multi-monitor support, making them useful tools for secure remote work.
Comparing Agentless and Agent-Based Remote Access Solutions
So, let’s break down the differences between agentless and agent-based remote access. Each has unique strengths and drawbacks that should be considered when picking a remote access solution for your organization.
Security: Both agent-based and agentless remote access solutions include enterprise-grade protections like AES-256 encryption, MFA, and detailed logging. Agent-based tools often add extra endpoint-level controls such as session recording.
Ease of deployment: As agentless remote access doesn’t require software to be installed on any device, it's typically easier to deploy and manage than agent-based access. However, once the software agent is installed, it typically makes connecting to the remote device faster and easier.
Scalability: Agentless remote access is easier to scale, since it doesn’t require installing any new software. However, that doesn’t mean agent-based solutions are hard to scale; it simply requires installing the software on new devices.
System requirements: Both agent-based and agentless connections are optimized for secure, high-performance remote sessions. The key difference lies in deployment and control.
Use cases: Agent-based access is best for employees who need regular, persistent connectivity to their work computers, and for IT teams managing fleets of devices. Agentless access is best for IT administrators, vendors, or support teams that need flexible, on-demand access to devices without installing software.
Critical Considerations for Selecting an Agent vs. Agentless Model
How do you know which model is right for you? When comparing agentless and agent-based remote access, there are some important factors to keep in mind.
Consider your specific business needs and what you’ll be using remote access for. If you prioritize flexibility, an agentless model may be right for you. However, if you want a deeper level of control over your endpoints, then an agent-based model will provide more of what you need.
The ease of access is another important factor. Agentless remote access is often easier to deploy, since it doesn’t require installing software on your endpoints. However, this also means that launching a remote session often requires more work, as it necessitates users on both ends to connect, making it not the most convenient option.
Also consider your security requirements. Agent-based software is typically more secure than agentless remote access, since the software often features security features like end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication. This can make it a preferable choice for organizations with strict IT compliance requirements.
Agentless remote access solutions can be quickly launched, provide access to connected devices without needing software, and are easy to scale. However, agent-based solutions provide more control, features, and security, making them more robust options.
Splashtop Solutions for Seamless Agent-Based and Agentless Remote Access
Now that we’ve compared agentless vs agent-based remote access, you likely know what will suit your business the best. Whichever you prefer, whether you like the on-demand accessibility of agentless remote access or the rich features and security of agent-based connectivity, Splashtop can help you connect.
Splashtop Streamer: Agent-Based Remote Access Solution
When you want to remotely access your devices with a secure, reliable, and powerful software agent, you can use the Splashtop Streamer to establish your connection.
Splashtop’s Streamer solution provides remote access with full control over your remote device. This facilitates stable, secure, and responsive remote sessions, keeping projects and programs within reach at all times.
In addition to helping employees access their remote devices, the Splashtop Streamer can also empower IT teams and support professionals to manage and troubleshoot systems from anywhere. Remote support tools provide support agents direct access to the end-user’s device, enabling them to provide support and troubleshooting from any device, as though they were in front of the end-user’s computer.
Splashtop Connector: Agentless Remote Access Solution
Splashtop also provides the Splashtop Connector solution for agentless remote access. This allows users to remotely access computers, servers, and network devices without needing a remote access agent or VPN.
Splashtop Connector enables remote access to customers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, POS systems, and more, even on closed networks that don’t allow third-party apps. It can also allow remote access to specific programs only, rather than a full remote desktop connection, ensuring a secure connection.
All this leads to an easy-to-deploy, secure, fast, and reliable remote access experience without requiring the installation of an agent on the connected devices.
Get Started with Splashtop Remote Access Solutions for Free
However you want to access your devices remotely, Splashtop makes it possible. Splashtop can provide a secure and stable connection for remote management and access, as well as quick and flexible access for on-the-go needs, all protected by advanced security features and robust controls.
Agent-based and agentless remote access both have their benefits, so you can use Splashtop in the fashion that works best for you. Employees can use Splashtop to seamlessly connect to their work devices and access all their projects, programs, tools, and data from anywhere, while IT agents can quickly connect to end-users’ devices for efficient and powerful remote support on any device.
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