I need to connect to a remote server. The ODIN.CFG needs to have a node for that server. I need to ensure that the MFD has the SUFFIX=EDA. What else? What is an easy way to test this?

I'm assuming you have focus on your remote server
REMOTE DEST = yourremoteservername
-MRNOEDIT BEGIN
SET TEMPDIR = D:\IBI\MYAPPS
-REMOTE BEGIN
do some focus code
ON TABLE PCHOLD AS HOUTPUT FORMAT ALPHA
END
-REMOTE END
-MRNOEDIT END
...
now your file HOUTPUT.FTM and HOUTPUT.MAS
will be in D:\IBI\MYAPPS directory.

But now remember your TEMPDIR has been set
so you might want to unset it. I like to restore my tempdir to the agent, so i issue a command before the REMOTE begins to determine and save the agent
-SET &MYPATH = TEMPPATH(40,'A40');
then after coming off the remote, i restore my TEMPDIR back to the agent.
SET TEMPDIR = &MYPATH