Portal Administration for Remote Support
Introduction
This topic describes several key areas of the Admin Portal that can be used to manage Remote Support Settings and Sub Settings.
Fields that can be set and/or configured in the portal are presented in tables, with each table showing:
-
Setting - the name of the field that controls the setting
-
Type - the type of value that can be entered or selected and its default value
-
Description - how the setting is used and notes about any implications it may have on other settings
To change any of the settings in the portal, log in to the portal and select the setting from the menu.
In this topic
Remote Support Settings
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Settings
Settings here are the global settings for all endpoints participating in the feature. You can overrule settings for listed domain users or computers under the sub-settings menu.
Authorization
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Settings > Authorization
AUTHORIZATION tab
Remote Support allows users to remotely assist other users with issues. It is often combined with the EPM feature Support Assist to perform installs without logging the user out and without giving the user admin rights.
Remote Support requires Windows endpoint software 8.4+ and is part of the Secure Remote Access product suite.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Allow Remote Support |
Toggle Default: On |
On - Allows computers to be accessed remotely, provided a user is present (i.e. remote user must confirm). Note that supporting user might only be able to watch and not take control (see Security settings (VIEW ONLY tab)). Off - Computers cannot be accessed remotely regardless of whether a user is present or not. Note that Unattended Access might still be possible, depending on Unattended Access settings. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
NOTIFICATION tab
Email notification to administrators is available when Require approval is checked under Authorization.
Notifications can be sent for the following scenarios:
-
Each new request for approval (Run As Admin) or admin session access (Admin Session)
-
When malware is detected (Workstation Settings > [OS] Settings > Malware)
-
When unattended remote access is requested (Unattended Access)
-
When either an end user or portal admin initiates a Remote Support session.
As with other request types, new requests for approval always appear under Requests > Pending in the Portal top menu. This is the case for both Endpoint Privilege Management and Secure Remote Access.
The Notification setting enables and configures additional email notification for new requests. If multiple email addresses are specified, they must be on separate lines.
Phone notification is separate and happens automatically via push notifications to phones with the mobile app installed.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Send email notifications |
Toggle Default: Off |
On - Additional email notifications are sent to the email addresses listed in Email addresses. Off - Email notifications are not sent. |
Email addresses |
Text |
Standard email address format. Use a new line for each address. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
Endpoint
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Settings > Endpoint
ICON tab
An icon for Remote Support appears in the system tray at install time.
This setting lets you optionally also place an icon on the user's desktop. If you enable the desktop icon, but do not specify a desktop icon name, the default "Administrator Access" text will be used in a localized version (English, German, French, Spanish, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian).
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Create desktop icon |
Toggle Default: On |
On - Place icon on the desktop. Off - Do not place icon on the desktop. Only the tray tool icon will be available. . |
Desktop icon name |
Text |
Label to use for the icon. If left blank, Administrator Access is used as the label. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
Settings
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Settings > Settings
RECORDING tab
Screen recording means that the remote session is recorded.
Files are stored locally and can be requested in the auditlog by expanding the relevant line.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Screen recording |
Toggle Default: Off |
On - Screen recording is enabled. Off - Screen recording is disabled. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
Security
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Settings > Security
MFA tab
MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) requires the portal user to re-authenticate with single sign-on when connecting remotely to an endpoint.
If the logged-on portal user does not log on with SSO (single sign-on), the user will be denied access to the endpoint.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Require MFA |
Toggle Default: On |
On - The logged-on portal user must authenticate via SSO when connecting remotely to an endpoint. Off - Portal user does not need to authenticate via SSO to remotely connect. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
VIEW tab
View Only means that the portal user can watch, but not interact with the endpoint.
This is useful for sensitive endpoints, such as c-level computers. You can create sub settings for sensitive computers based on computer groups.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Assist Only |
Toggle Default: On |
On - The portal user can only watch, but not interact with the endpoint. Off - Portal user can take control of screen and keyboard during a session. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
SESSION EXPIRY tab
Session expiry is the maximum length a remote session may last. When this time expires, the remote session will be disconnected.
Selecting Unlimited is not recommended, as this would result in no expiry on the remote session.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Session expiry |
Selection Default: 4 hours |
Select a value between 15 minutes and Unlimited. Custom is also available - if selected, choose the required number of Hours and Minutes. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
Emails
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Settings > Emails
REQUEST EMAILS tab
Emails go out when Require approval is turned On under Authorization. You can create your own email templates here with information specific to your company, such as a Help Desk phone number and custom instructions.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Email template |
Selection Default: Approved email |
Approved email - Loads a template that advises the user (i.e. requester) that the request for access has been approved. Denied email - Loads a template that advises the request for access has been denied without giving a reason. Denied with reason - Loads a template that advises the request for access has been denied and provides the reason. Administrator notify - Loads a template that advises the administrator (i.e. person who approves or denies) that a request for access is waiting for attention. |
Email sender |
Text Default: Admin By Request Team |
The email address to be used as the sender for the email. Can be used with custom domains. Use the Email address button to set up custom domains. Refer to Email Domain for more information on configuring an email address to be used as the sender for all user notifications. |
Email subject |
Text Default: Admin By Request |
Text that will appear in the subject line of emails. |
Get default |
Button |
Loads the default Email template for the option selected. NOTE:
|
Email address |
Button |
Switches to Email Domain in Tenant Settings in the portal, allowing you to use a custom domain as the sender. This allows sending email from domains other than @adminbyrequest.com. NOTE: This is optional, but you cannot add an email sender field of e.g. "tom@mydomain.com" unless you have first set up the custom email domain "mydomain.com" via the Email Domain setting in the portal (Settings > Tenant Settings > Email Domain). |
Template body |
Formatted text |
The body of the email to be sent. Includes three views:
Dynamic content tagsTags can be used in the body, which are place holders in curly braces. These are replaced with actual request values when emails are sent. The following tags are available:
|
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
TICKETING SYSTEM tab
You can set up an email notification to your ticketing system and embed the tags below for dynamic content.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Ticket system email |
Text |
The email address to which emails intended for your ticket system will be sent. For example: itsupport@mycompany.com |
Email sender |
Text Default: Admin By Request Team |
The email address to be used as the sender for the email. Can be used with custom domains. Use the Email address button to set up custom domains. |
Email subject |
Text Default: Admin By Request |
Text that will appear in the subject line of emails. |
Get default |
Button |
Loads the default Email template for the option selected. NOTE:
|
Email address |
Button |
Switches to Email Domain in Tenant Settings in the portal, allowing you to use a custom domain as the sender. This allows sending email from domains other than @adminbyrequest.com. NOTE: This is optional, but you cannot add an email sender field of e.g. "tom@mydomain.com" unless you have first set up the custom email domain "mydomain.com" via the Email Domain setting in the portal (Settings > Tenant Settings > Email Domain). |
Template body |
Formatted text |
The body of the email to be sent to the ticketing system. Includes three views:
Dynamic content tagsTags can be used in the body, which are place holders in curly braces. These are replaced with actual request values when emails are sent. The following tags are available:
Ticket IDYou can find a ticket by its ticket ID using the Search button in the Auditlog. Voided textIf a line has one or more tags and all tags in the line are empty, the entire line is automatically removed. |
Remote Access notification events
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
User requests approval |
Toggle Default: On |
On - Sends a notification for User requests approval. Off - Does not send a notification. |
Admin approves user request |
Toggle Default: On |
On - Sends a notification for Admin approves user request. Off - Does not send a notification. |
Admin denies user request |
Toggle Default: Off |
On - Sends a notification for Admin denies user request. Off - Does not send a notification. |
User starts remote session |
Toggle Default: Off |
On - Sends a notification for User starts remote session. Off - Does not send a notification. |
User finishes remote session |
Toggle Default: Off |
On - Sends a notification for User finishes remote session. Off - Does not send a notification. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
Sub Settings
Portal menu: SRA > Settings > Remote Support Sub Settings
Sub settings will overrule the global settings for the users or computers to which they apply. Both users and computers can be in Active Directory groups or organizational units.
If a user or computer hits multiple sub settings, the first in listed order that includes the setting concerned wins.
Overruling a global setting
As with sub-settings for EPM servers and workstations, SRA sub-settings mirror their respective global settings, with the addition of an Overrule global settings switch.
The following table lists the settings and sub-settings structure for both Unattended Access and Remote Support:
Unattended Access |
Remote Support |
---|---|
Authorization |
Authorization |
Settings |
Endpoint |
Security |
Settings |
Gateways |
Security |
Emails |
Emails |
Each of these can be on or off, which is controlled by a Global Settings Overrule:
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Overrule global settings |
Toggle Default: On |
On - This setting will overrule its associated global setting. The global setting fields are then undimmed and become available for editing. Off - This setting will not overrule its associated global setting. The global setting fields remain dimmed. |
Scope for sub-settings
The key to sub-settings is to define and activate their Scope.
In the portal sub-settings, Scope is the second-top menu item, immediately below the < Back button.
Setting |
Type |
Description |
---|---|---|
Active |
Toggle Default: Off |
On - Sub-settings are active for the set named in Sub settings name. Off - Sub-settings are not active .for the set named in Sub settings name. |
Sub settings name |
Text |
The name assigned to this set of sub-settings. |
Portal user in group |
Text |
A list of groups into which users are placed, with multiple groups on separate lines. |
Computer in group |
Text |
A list of groups into which computers are placed, with multiple groups on separate lines. |
Computer in OU |
Text |
A list of organizational units into which computers are placed, with multiple OUs on separate lines. |
Network scope |
Toggle One entry for each Gateway Default: Off |
On - Scope is active for this gateway. Off - Scope is not active for this gateway. Network scope means that these sub settings only apply to the selected gateway combination. A gateway represents an on-premise LAN - if no toggles are on, there is no network scope. |
Save |
Button |
Saves customization and changes to any fields. Note that reloading any defaults does not take effect until Save is clicked. |
About sub-settings scope
Note the following:
-
Tiering can be achieved by setting up a gateway on each tier and set portal user and sub settings network scopes.
-
Computer scope does not work for discovered devices, because the server endpoint software is required to collect groups and OUs.
-
Entra ID / Azure AD groups require you to set up the Entra ID Connector.
-
All scopes must be met. If multiple user groups and computer Organizational Units (OUs) are specified, the user must be member of at least one of the groups and the computer in one of the OU locations.
In the portal text fields, multiple groups or OUs (Organizational Units) must be specified on separate lines. OUs can be specified as either:
-
The bottom name, e.g. Sales. Any OU named Sales will match.
-
Path from root using backslashes, e.g. \US\Florida\Sales.
-
The fully distinguished name, e.g. C=US,ST=Florida,OU=Sales.