PuTTY 0.81

PuTTY is a very tiny yet powerful network tool designed to help system maintainers and IT managers connect to remote systems via SSH and Telnet protocols, as well as Rlogin application or a serial interface. While the program can be traditionally installed in Windows, you can also download an executable that works as a portable edition. It's perfect in case you're not fond of installations.

Putty offers a really simple user interface, however, it has multiple sections that can be configured, most of which require a very good level of technical knowledge, don't forget the program is designed for technical users. Anyway, if you just want to connect to a remote system and manage it, the programs works fairly well with its default configuration. To do it, you just need to provide the remote system's IP address or host name, the listening port and select the appropriate protocol or connection type. A terminal window will then open and there you will be able to continue with your remote session (by providing your username and/or password, for example). You can also save your sessions to reuse them later very quickly

From my personal experience with PuTTY over the years, I would say it's a really great SSH and Telnet client tool in all senses. It's a really good solution if, for example, you need to access a Linux/Unix server which doesn't have its own screen and/or keyboard to configure or monitor it, saving you a lot of time and effort. The only conditions are, of course, that the remote system has the SSH/Telnet services enabled and running, and that you are an authorized user with valid credentials (username/password).

All in all, PuTTY is a must-have for any network or IT manager, specially considering it's a free and really lightweight tool. The program is fully compatible with all Windows versions available out there, including Windows 10. So, if you are an IT professional, you should at least give it a try!