For non-malicious administration, the user must install or enable server software on the host system in order to be viewed.
Remote administration is therefore less practical if the host uses a dial-up modem, which is not constantly online and often has a Dynamic IP.
Such users may then add, delete, modify or execute files on the computer to their own ends.
Active Directory and other features found in Microsoft's Windows NT Domains allow for remote administration of computers that are members of the domain, including editing the Registry and modifying system services and access to the system's "Computer Management" Microsoft Management Console snap-in.
Critics have previously stated that the capabilities of the software require a very loose definition of what "administration" entails.
X-server connection forwarding, often tunneled over SSH for security, allows GUI programs to be used remotely.
Generally these solutions do not provide the full remote access seen on software such as VNC or Terminal Services, but do allow administrators to perform a variety of tasks, such as rebooting computers, resetting passwords, and viewing system event logs, thus reducing or even eliminating the need for system administrators to carry a laptop or be within reach of the office.