What is the most efficient way of handling maintenance on a network with multiple computers? How can I run malware/virus scans, and update remotely from the admin computer?
That would be the ultimate goal.
Can the same thing be done if for example an admin computer is running linux instead of windows?
That kind of think is what Windows Server20xx is all about. The Server provides Domain service (instead of Workgroups) and the ability to remotely configure, setup policies and to run remote tasks, aka virus scans.
A Linux system *might* do all this, but it would need r/w access to the client C: volumes - - not a good idea.
An option would be to enable the built-in telnet server in each target machine or (preferably) install a third party SSH server instead. So you can manage them via command line using a telnet/SSH client from the remote system (even when with a user working on the maintained system). Linux and many more OSs have those client tools too.
Agreed, it's a very bad idea. Unfortunately, ALL versions of Windows come with that security flaw enabled by default, in the form of the "administrative shares" (\\server\c$, \\server\d$, etc), that let anyone with an admin password full access over the whole filesystem.
SSH yes, but never Telnet. SSH has the advantage of exchanging "keys" for each client to avoid passwords altogether which makes scripting very easy.
As Admin Shares IS the windows way, "when in Rome do as the Roman's do"
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