10 Android apps that every frontline IT professional needs
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​ADManager Plus
​ADManager Plus
Every seasoned network administrator and IT veteran has been down in the trenches at some point. It’s a rite of passage to deal directly with users, solve their immediate problems, and find fixes for mysterious errors.
Thankfully this generation of helpdesk consultants and on-the-road IT fixers has an amazing tool to simplify the job: Smartphones. Today we’re talking all about how an Android device can make life on the helpdesk easier–provided you use these 10 apps.
First up is ADManager Plus. It’s a Microsoft Active Directory management tool that gives users control over accounts from wherever they are. Perfect for password unlocks and account management when out and about.
​Servers Ultimate
​Servers Ultimate
Sometimes you need to virtualize a server to test something, but that means heading back to the datacenter to spin up a VM and do all the work that comes with it. Not if you have Servers Ultimate.
This app is free for 7 days and costs $8.95 after that, but it’s a small price to pay for having access to dozens of customizable VMs right in your pocket.
Termius
Termius
Using the command line may be less necessary than it used to be but IT professionals still need to know their way around it. Termius is a cross platform SSH and Telnet client that offers a bunch of work-simplifying features.
Learn the command line, love the command line: There’s no way around it.
​DriveDroid
​DriveDroid
A flash drive packed with ISOs, pre-boot scanners, and other recovery and restore tools is a typical part of any IT support person’s kit. DriveDroid wants to replace it with your smartphone.
This app allows you to load up disk images and turn your phone into a bootable device–it’s revolutionary for the mobile support person. It does require a rooted device though, so if you’re not comfortable with that you’ll have to pass.
​Microsoft RD Client
​Microsoft RD Client
Sometimes you just need to RDP to a client’s machine and you don’t have time to get to your desktop. For those cases there’s Microsoft’s very own RD Client. It’s made by Microsoft, so it should play well with Windows desktops and servers.
It won’t, however, make controlling a remote computer from a smartphone any easier.
​Pulseway
​Pulseway
No one likes to deal with remote tasks on a server from the side of a user’s desk: It’s just a hassle. Pulseway is made to execute those tasks without having to deal with a desktop interface.
It can perform typical tasks on a variety of types of servers with the tap of a button. You should definitely add it to your arsenal.
​Office 365 Admin app
​Office 365 Admin app
Office 365 and other cloud-based office suites continue to grow in popularity, and that means there’s more need for IT teams to support them. If you’re responsible for an Office 365 installation Microsoft’s Office 365 Admin app needs to be on your Android device.
​Ookla Speedtest
​Ookla Speedtest
“My internet is slow” means different things to different people, and not all of them actually understand what slow means. If you need to get to the bottom of a network speed issue Ookla Speedtest should be on your device.
If you don’t like Ookla there are plenty of other options on the Google Play store. Take your pick but be sure to install one.
​Metal Detector
​Metal Detector
Did you know that many Android devices come packed with sensors that can do things like detect metal? If not you’re missing out, especially if you ever need to locate studs, cables, or other things hidden behind walls.
The Metal Detector app takes a bit of getting used to, and you’ll need to adjust it depending on your environment, but once you get the hang of it it’s one of the most useful apps you can keep on your phone.
