PC monitoring apps and services are becoming increasingly popular as more techies, entrepreneurs, parents, and employers are discovering the benefits of being able to supervise and control computer activity remotely. Still, despite the obvious advantages, many consumers feel they simply don’t need remote access to their operating systems and the files/programs within. In essence, PC monitoring is all about:
Being able to Monitor Current Activity and Past Usage
With a computer monitoring app/service you can view what is happening in real-time, or view detailed logs to gain insight into past activity. You can see information pertaining to an array of recent events, including which programs have been used, how long they were used, which files have been created/modified, which websites have been visited, pictures/screenshots that have been taken, the content of IM chats/emails, and even the exact keystrokes that have been inputted into your computer. These apps/services make it virtually impossible for someone to sneak around on your PC without you finding out every detail later on. Some apps let you schedule screenshots, webcam pictures, and sound recordings at set intervals, so you have a constant feed that shows you who is sitting in front of your computer, what they’re looking at, and even the sounds they’re making. You can view these past usage logs by logging into an online interface through any device that can run a web browser (including a smartphone or tablet), or you can have them sent to your email automatically.
Having Full Administrative Control Wherever You Are
Computer monitoring apps not only give you the ability to see what is happening at all times, they also let you perform administrative tasks like shutting down, logging off, or rebooting remotely. With this functionality you can protect your PC from being used by a nosy third-party in the event that you forget to shutdown or log off before leaving the home/office. Likewise, you can easily access, download, and use files/programs remotely, so you’ll never have to worry about being without your important data or programs again. If someone is using a program or viewing a file that you don’t want them to, you can remotely view and kill any active processes.
Supervising Employees/Children and Ensuring Appropriate Activity
The log-viewing functionality offered in a PC monitoring app is especially useful for parents and employees who need to monitor the work productivity and online activity of children and employees. Some applications also let you send direct admin messages to the user — a feature that can be very helpful when you’re training someone remotely or keeping track of employee efforts. If you don’t want the user to know they’re being monitored you can go completely undetected in stealth mode, which hides all app info, log files, and icons in the task manager, start menu, and add/remove programs list. A good PC monitoring app/service will even allow you to set up content blocking/filtering to ensure that users cannot visit inappropriate websites, and receive real-time notifications when a user performs a specified action.
About the Author: Dane Watring is an experienced blogger and IT specialist with extensive knowledge of Computer Spy Software and remote monitoring.
