We will explore how to start Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) on Mac EC2 instances running on AWS. ARD is a powerful tool for managing multiple Mac computers from a single location, allowing you to perform software updates, remote troubleshooting, and monitoring tasks. By the end of this post, you will better understand how to leverage ARD to manage your Mac EC2 instances on AWS.

Step 1 - Create A macOS Instance on Ec2

Create a Log Into Your Mac Instance on EC2

ard-step-01-create-instance

ssh -i ~/Desktop/path/to/key.cer ec2-user@xx.xx.xx.xx

Step 2 - Create a passwd

Create a password for ec2-user.

sudo passwd ec2-user

Step 3 - Enable Remote Management

Configure your EC2 instance for Remote Management.

sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart \
-activate -configure -access -on \
-restart -agent -privs -all

Step 4 - Connect from Your Local Computer

SSH into AWS from your terminal

The -L option enables port forwarding and all traffic on local port 5900 to the ARD server on the instance.

ssh -L 5900:localhost:5900 -i /path/to/key.cer ec2-user@xx.xx.xx.xx

Open Apple Remote Desktop

remote-mac.ssh

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