I asked a couple of months earlier if PuTTY can get any Snazzier? ^[1] I am going to have to take that back and admit that it just did. And more.

PuTTY ^[2] is one of the most loved tool for anyone connecting to a Linux or Unix server from Windows. It helps to easily save connection information and its properties in an easy to use interface. But, it has stayed with that basic functionality for years.

Earlier, we looked at how PuTTY Tray enhanced its usability a little by being able to minimize it to the system tray as well as give it a nice icon to identify. The only gripe I had with it was the lack of a tabbed interface in an otherwise awesome tool.

PuTTY Connection Manager

PuTTY Connection Manager is here to solve that. It is a free PuTTY client add-on for Windows and it aims to help manage multiple PuTTY instances. As the name implies, it is just a utility that swallows PuTTY instance to provide a tabbed interface plus some more features.

It comes with a lot of nice features and I will list some of them here: ^[3]

• A tabbed interface and dockable windows
• Lot of customization options – fullscreen, minimize to tray, add/remove toolbar, etc.
• Automatic login feature – haven’t tried this yet but sounds nice
• Quick connect toolbar makes launching a new session very easy
• You can opt to install it or use a standalone executable with no configuration
• Launching the standalone executable the first time asks for PuTTY executable location
• Let’s you export/import connections in XML format
• Encrypted configuration option lets you store connection information securely
• And it is freeware!

I have to mention that this utility needs the Microsoft .NET 2.0 installed in your computer. I am looking forward to promised features in teh future such as connection groups, favorite connection and servers, options to organize tabs & remembering tab positions, printing options, etc.

PuTTYcm has really filled the gap for me in looking for a tabbed interface and the productivity such an interface brings with it. Hope you enjoy it too.

PuTTYcm ^[4]

Download PuTTYcm (standalone beta v0.6.0.4822 ~1.63MB)

Update Feb 3, 2012: Download PuTTYcm Alternate Link ^[5]

(Image credit: PuTTYcm)