IOS – Is it possible to use Remote Desktop or a similar tool to manage iOS devices

Mac OS X does not support multiple GUI sessions by itself. There are a couple options however - you can try Vine Server which requires some setup ahead of time (fast user switching on, you have to be logged on with a copy of Vine Server running).

The more robust alternative is a product called AquaConnect Terminal Server which provides services like Terminal Server but requires Mac OS X Server to run.

We use Apple Configurator to supervise iOS devices and then Meraki MDM to remotely manage them. We push out a webclip and a global HTTP proxy setting to all devices this way. Meraki MDM is free for up to 100 clients, after that you have to pay per client up to and including the first 100. We were using the Apple OS X server app for awhile and while it does have some great features it is severely lacking in some key areas. You get what you pay for.