iTivity™ User Guide

5. Installing the iTivity iAgents on Windows

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5.1 System Requirements
5.2 Installing the Unattended iAgent or Attended iAgent From the Distribution EXE
5.3 Installing the Support Module
5.4 Editing the iAgent HTML Files
5.5 Installing an iAgent via One-Click Install
5.6 Using the iTivity iAgents with a Proxy Server

 iTivity iAgents are software components that allow secure connections to an iServer and remote viewing and control of the computer on which the iAgent is installed.

iAgents can be installed on a Windows computer from a distribution EXE file or from web page or e-mail link, through a one-click install process.

This chapter explains:

·         How to install the Unattended iAgent or Attended iAgent from
the distribution EXE file.

·         How to install the Support Module, which contains all of the iAgent components.

·         How administrators can set up web pages to allow one-click install of the iAgents, including how to configure installation settings in the HTML files.

·         How end-users perform the one-click install.

Note: For information on installing and running the Unattended iAgent on UNIX/Linux systems, see Chapter 8.

Other Installation Options:

·         You can automate installation on Windows. See Appendix A in this guide.

·         You can also create custom installers on the Tridia Support web site. See Appendix B.

5.1  System Requirements

The Attended iAgent and Unattended iAgent both can run on the following Windows platforms:

·          Windows 2000

·          Windows XP Pro

·          Windows 2003 Server

·          Windows Vista 

·          Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3

 

Disk space required to install the Unattended iAgent or Attended iAgent is approximately 8.6 megabytes.

5.2  Installing the Unattended iAgent or Attended iAgent From the Distribution EXE

Installation Options

You have several options for installing the iAgents on Windows:

·         Install from a distribution EXE file downloaded from the Tridia web site. This procedure is explained in this section.

·         Use the distribution EXE file and automate the installation with a silent install file. This option is explained in Appendix A.

·         Create a custom installer for your needs. See Appendix B.

·         Use the one-click install process packaged in the Support Module, as explained in Sections 5.3 through 5.5. This method is not supported for Windows Vista or if end-users have Internet Explorer 7.0.

Installing via Terminal Services

If the computer you want to install the iAgent on is running Microsoft Terminal Services, you can install and start the iAgent software remotely. Simply open a Terminal Services session, copy the distribution EXE to the computer and the follow the Instructions below.

Instructions

1.       Download the distribution EXE file for the module you are installing from the Tridia web site. After saving this file to disk, open the file.

The following Welcome dialog is displayed:

2.       Click Next.

The License Agreement page is displayed.

3.       Press the Page Down key to view the entire agreement. Then click Yes to indicate your acceptance.

The following dialog is displayed.

4.       Click the Browse button to change the Destination Folder if desired. Otherwise, click Next to continue.

The Setup Type dialog is displayed.

Choose Complete or Custom.

Note: If you choose Custom, you are presented with another dialog to specify the components to install. You are also presented with a number of custom options during the installation process.

The Select Program Folder dialog is displayed.

5.       Change the Folder if desired. Click Next.

If you chose the Custom Setup Type in Step 4, the following prompt appears, allowing you to choose whether to install the iAgent for all users on the computer or only the current user account.

Click Yes to install for all users or No to install only for your own account.

6.       Click Next.

The following dialog appears, indicating that the Setup program is ready to copy files.

7.       Click Next to begin copying files.

If you chose the Custom Setup Type in Step 4,when the copying is complete, the following dialog is displayed:

iTivity is released with standard desktop icons from Tridia Corporation. If you want to customize the interface with your own icons, use this dialog to enter the URL location of your custom ico file.

Click Next to continue.

8.       The Unique System Name dialog is displayed.

9.       Change the Name and/or add a Description if desired. Click Next.

The iServer Connection dialog is displayed.

10.   In the iServer field, enter the host name or IP address for the iServer that the iAgent system will connect to. Change the default Port value if a different port number is used on the iServer.

If your organization uses support domains on the iServer, enter the support domain for this iAgent in the Domain in the field. To enter more than one support domain, separate each entry with a comma. For more information on support domains, see the iTivity Deployment Guide.

11.   Click Next.

If you chose the Custom Setup Type in Step 4, the following prompt is displayed.

Click Yes if you want to require users of the iAgent system to verify any changes to the encryption certificate on the iServer. This is the most secure option, but will prevent automatic connection to the iServer if there is a change. Click No to disable this security check.

For more information on certificates, see the iTivity Deployment Guide, Section 2.4, Deploying the iServer Public Key (Certificate).

12.   If you chose the Custom Setup Type in Step 4, and are installing the Unattended iAgent, you are prompted to enable Secure Dial connections for this iAgent.

If you enable secure dial, this becomes the iTivity connection method for this iAgent computer. iTivity connection via the Internet will be disabled.

Click Yes or No to continue.

13.   The Authentication Method dialog is displayed.

These choices define how a user of iTivity iManager must authenticate before being allowed to view and remotely control this computer.

s         NTLM (Microsoft Authentication): iTivity iManager authenticates the username and password against a Microsoft Domain or local database, eliminating the need for a separate local password on every system. NTLM authentication can be used both in an NT domain environment as well as on a standalone Windows NT, 2000 or XP system.

s         LDAP/NDS: iTivity iManager authenticates against a server running either the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) or Novell Directory Services (NDS).   

s         Simple Password: Each system running the Unattended iAgent has its own password that must be entered by the remote user trying to view. Use this option if you want iTivity iManager authentication to use separate passwords from Microsoft (NTLM) authentication.

s         No Authentication Required: No login is required. This option is strongly discouraged.

Choose the authentication method and click Next to continue.

14.    This step depends on which method you chose in Step 13.

A. If you chose the NTLM option in Step 13, you are asked if the computer is running Microsoft Terminal Server. 

Note: This prompt is displayed only on certain versions of Windows.

Click Yes or No to continue.

Next you are asked for the Windows NT security group iManager users must belong to this group in order to remotely view this iAgent computer.

Enter a group name or leave the default NT Group, then click Next.

B. If you chose LDAP/NDS in Step 13 you are asked to enter configuration information for the LDAP/NDS server to be used for authentication.

See the subheading titled Security in Section 4.1.4.6, Options for a description of the LDAP configuration data.

Enter the information and click Next to continue.

C. If you choose the Simple Password option in Step 13, the following dialog appears.

This dialog allows you to specify whether you want to use a central password for the computer (recommended) or allow per-user passwords. Per-user passwords are supported for computers that have multiple users. If per-user passwords are selected, each user can set his or her own iTivity password in addition to the computer's default iTivity password.

Choose an option and click Next.

You are asked to enter the password. (If you choose Central Host Password, this will be the one password for the computer. If you choose Support for Per User Passwords, this will be the default password for the computer.)

Note: If you are installing an update to iTivity and an iTivity simple password already exists on the computer, you are not prompted to enter one now.

You can change the password after installation by choosing Start > iTivity > Administrative Tools > Set Attended iAgent Simple Password or Set Unattended iAgent Simple Password.

Enter and confirm the password, then click OK.

D. If you chose No Authentication Required in Step 13, no action is required. Go to Step 15.

15.   If you chose the Custom Setup Type in Step 4, you are prompted to specify if you want to import a registry file.

This option is for advanced installation on an Intranet. If you choose Yes, a dialog appears for you to specify the path and filename of a custom Registry file to be imported as part of the installation.

After making your selection, click Next.

16.   This step applies only to the Attended iAgent and applies only if you chose the Custom Setup Type in Step 4.

The following dialog appears, allowing you to configure the iAgent.

Choose the options as described in the following table. See Section 6.1, Requesting Support, for more information on how these options affect the operation of the Attended iAgent.

Option

Result

Display the iTivity iServer Connection Dialog?

The iTivity Attended iAgent Connection Status dialog is displayed when the Attended iAgent runs.

Display the iTivity Attended iAgent Help Request dialog?

The Help Request window is displayed each time a user issues a Help Request.

Send the Help Request to "All" Help Desk Recipients?

Any help request sent from this iAgent is sent to all available recipients. (This is the default setting.)

Confirm all iTivity Help Desk connections to this Attended iAgent?

The user of the local computer is prompted to accept or reject any attempted viewing session by an iTivity iManager user.

Start iTivity Attended iAgent and request help now?

The iAgent attempts to connect to the iServer immediately after installation.

 

After making your selections, click Next.

Note: Depending on your selections, you are prompted to enter custom names for the iServer Connection dialog and Help Request dialog. You can enter custom names or by-pass these options by clicking Next.

17.   The installation is now complete. Click Finish to exit.

5.3  Installing the Support Module

Sections 5.2 explain how to use the Support Module to provide for one-click installation of the iAgents.

Note: This method is not supported for Windows Vista or if end-users have Internet Explorer 7.0. An alternative is to create your own one-click installations via the Tridia support web site, as explained in Appendix B.

The Support Module is an installable iTivity component available from Tridia. This component contains all the files an administrator needs to create web pages and e-mail links to allow one-click install of the iAgents.

To install the Support Module, you use the "Full Install" distribution EXE provided on the Tridia web site. The Support Module files can also be installed when you install the iServer. See Chapter 2, Installing and Running the iServer.

1.       Download the Full Install distribution EXE from the web site location supplied to you by Tridia. After saving this file to disk, open the file.

The following Welcome dialog is displayed:

2.       Click Next.

The License Agreement page is displayed.

3.       Press the Page Down key to view the entire agreement. Then click Yes to indicate your acceptance.

The following dialog is displayed.

4.       Click the Browse button to change the Destination Folder if desired. Otherwise, click Next to continue.

The Select Features dialog is displayed.

5.       Clear the check boxes for the iTivity modules you do not want to install.

Note: These instructions assume you are installing only the Support Module. If you are also installing the iServer, see Chapter 2.

After selecting the modules to install, click Next.

The Select Program Folder dialog is displayed.

6.       Change the Folder if desired. Click Next.

The following dialog is displayed.

7.       Click Next to begin copying files.

After copying files, the program displays the following dialog:

8.       Click Yes to install the web files.

Next you are prompted whether you want the Attended iAgents installed via one-click install to include the Chat feature.

9.       Click Yes to include Chat or No to exclude Chat.

The following dialog is displayed, for you to specify the folder location on your web server.

10.   Specify the path to the correct folder on your web server and click OK.

The files are copied to the web server location.

11.   Installation is now complete. Click Finish to exit.

5.4  Editing the iAgent HTML Files

Installing the Support Module creates a set of files that are typically copied to a web server. These files create web pages that allow users to perform a one-click install of the iAgents.

Administrators need to edit these files to set configuration parameters. These parameters define important information controlling the setup and operation of the Attended iAgent and Unattended iAgent on end-user's computers.

Note: iAgent systems can also be customized to disable certain types of remote access, such as Windows RDP, Telnet, or Chat. For information, see Section 2.3 Controlling iAgent Service Access Permissions in the iTivity Deployment Guide.

HTML File List

The following HTML files are installed.

File

Description

attendediAgent.htm

Main web page for installing the Attended iAgent.

unattendediAgent.htm

Main web page for installing the Unattended iAgent.

bothiAgents.htm

Page that installs both iAgents.

index.htm

Default page for the directory. A copy of attendediAgent.htm.

 

HTML File Contents

You can open the files in any text editor or HTML editing program. A number of configuration parameters are presented, with code comments to explain their purpose.

These parameters include:

·         iTivity Global iAgent Settings

·         iTivity Attended iAgent Settings

·         iTivity Unattended iAgent Settings

Administrators can edit any of these parameters as needed. The rest of this section describes all of the parameters.

5.4.1  Global iAgent Settings

These settings apply to all iAgents. The parameters in bold are ones you will most likely need to review and edit.

Parameter

Description

varFeatureSelect

Determines which iAgent or iAgents are installed by the one-click install process.  Values are:

iTivity Attended iAgent
iTivity Unattended iAgent
Both

variTivityConnectPort

Sets the iServer connection port. Normally 23800.

variTivityServerName

The DNS name of the iServer.

Important: Change this to the name of your iServer.

varRootCertURL

The URL of the iServer public encryption key file used by this iAgent.

For the highest security, iAgent systems should have a certificate installed that contains the public key from the iServer. This automates trust between the iAgent and the iServer while insuring the security of the data communications.

Important: Installing the certificate is required on iAgent systems that will not have a user present at the first connection to the iServer, unless you set the varAutoAcceptAllCerts parameter to 1 - Accept all certificates automatically (see below).

For instructions on deploying the certificate and setting the varRootCertURL value, see the iTivity Deployment Guide, Section 2.4.

Example: http://iserver.acmecorp.com/itivity/ad732b5c.0

varInstallDir

The directory where the iAgent will be installed.

Example: C:\\Program Files\\iTivity\\

Set this value to "" if you want to install the iAgent on a per-user basis. The installation will reside under the logged in users home directory.

varCustomIcon

The URL of a custom icon file to replace the default iTivity and HelpDesk icons. Used to provide the applications with custom branding. The file must be in ico format.

Example:  http://iserver.acme.com/custom.ico

varVNCHostName

Used to set the name of the iAgent computer as it will be displayed by iTivity iManager.

By default the NetBIOS name is used, but you can enter a value for varVNCHostName to override the default.

Caution: The name set here will be used for all computers that install the iAgent using this html file.

Note: If the varCombineMultipleNames value (see below) is set to True and varVNCHostName also has a value, then the value of varVNCHostName is concatenated with the value of varAgentNameOrder to form the iAgent compute name.

varAgentNameOrder

Used to set the name of the iAgent computer as it will be displayed by iTivity iManager.

By default, the iAgent computer is identified to the iServer by its NetBIOS name. Beginning with iTivity version 4.7.03 , you can use varAgentNameOrder to name the iAgent using any combination of

NetBIOS - NetBIOS name
Host - Host name
IP - IP Address

Example: "NetBIOS,IP"

This example would cause the iAgent to be named by its NetBIOS name combined with its IP address.

varCombineMultipleNames

Indicates whether the value set by varVNCHostName is combined with the names set by varAgentNameOrder (see above).

Values are True and False.

If True, the value of varVNCHostName is concatenated with the value of varAgentNameOrder to define the name for the iAgent computer.

If False, then the value of varVNCHostName (if set) is used. If varVNCHostName is not set, the value of varAgentNameOrder is used.

varPromptForHostName

Set this variable to TRUE if you want to prompt the user for a unique computer name during the installation. This computer name will be displayed in iTivity iManager when this iAgent computer is connected

Default is FALSE

varAutoMinimizeiServer
ConnectionDialog

Set this variable to TRUE if you want the iServer Connection Status dialog to automatically minimize on startup.

Default is FALSE

varAdminImport
RegistryFile

For advanced installation on an Intranet, this variable can be used to specify the path and filename of a custom Registry file to be imported as part of the installation.

This Registry file should contain settings for iAgent users who have Administrative rights to the computer. Updates to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE are usually permitted for Admin or Power users. 

This setting is ignored when a Non-Admin user installs the iAgent.

varNonAdminImport
RegistryFile

For advanced installation on an Intranet, this variable can be used to specify the path and filename of a custom Registry file to be imported as part of the installation.

This Registry file should contain settings for iAgent users who do not have Administrative rights to the computer. Updates to HKEY_CURRENT_USER are usually permitted for non-Admin or non-power users. 

This setting is ignored when an Admin user installs the iAgent.

varAutoAcceptAllCerts

Determines whether the iServer certificate is accepted without verification. On a Windows system, a user at the iAgent computer will be prompted to validate the encryption certificate the first time the iAgent connects to the iServer. Values are:

0 - Prompt to validate the certificate
1 - Accept all certificates automatically

Note: For the highest security, the iAgent computers should have a certificate installed that contains the public key from the iServer, as explained in the iTivity Deployment Guide, Section 2.4. If you do not install certificates and no user will be present to allow the first connection when prompted, set this value to 1 or the connections to the iServer will fail.

varEnableSecureDial

Indicates whether this iAgent connects to the iServer over the Internet or via a secure dial-up connection. Values are:

·         False - (default) access via the Internet

·         True - access only via secure dial-up.

LDAP Configuration Options

The following options are needed only if LDAP is used as the authentication method.

varEncryptBool

Use LDAP authentication encryption. Boolean. Values are TRUE and FALSE.

varLDAPHost

Identifies the LDAP Host Server. String data type.

varLDAPPort

The LDAP authentication port. Numeric data type.

varLDAPSSLPath

LDAP SSL certificate path.

Example: C:\TEMP\RootCert.der

varLDAPUserTree

The LDAP User Tree. String data type. Required.

Format: <DistinquishedName>?<attirbutes>?<scope>

Example:  ou=context,o=tree_name

varLDAPGroupObj

The LDAP Group Object. String data type. Required.

Examples:

cn=GroupName,ou=context,o=tree_name
cd=tridia,dc=com

 

5.4.2  Attended iAgent Settings

The following settings apply specifically to the Attended iAgent. The parameters in bold are ones you will most likely need to review and edit.

Parameter

Description

varInstallAllUsers

Set this value to TRUE to make the Attended iAgent available to all users.

varAttendedAuthScheme

Determines the authentication method to be used when the iTivity iManager attempts to view a computer running this iAgent. 

Values are:

ntlm - (Microsoft Authentication): the iAgent authenticates the username and password against a Microsoft Domain or local database. Recommended for Windows computers.

ldap - The iAgent authenticates against a server running the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). If ldap is used, you must set additional Global iAgent Settings specific to this method.

simple - The iAgent authenticates against a simple password. You enter the password using the varSupportSimplePwd variable.

none - No authentication is required.

varAttendedPermissionGroup

Required when using ntlm authentication. The name of a local NTLM user group that the installation will create.

varAttendedWin9XAuthServer

Used only for NTLM installations on Windows 9X computers. Sets the Win9X/ME Authentication forwarding server.

varAttendedSupportDomain

Sets the iServer support domain(s) for this Attended iAgent.

If you are not using iServer support domains leave this value blank. To declare more than one support domain, separate the values with a comma.

Example:
    ether.SetProperty( "varLiveSupportDomain", "GA.US,TX.US");

For more information on support domains, see the iTivity Deployment Guide.

varAttendedSimplePwd

Used only if "Simple" authentication is selected. Sets the simple password. Numeric data type, in octal encoded format. Place a colon between each byte.

Example: da:41:48:17:c7:f7:b4:97

varAttendedTivityConnectNow

Determines whether the iAgent will attempt to connect to the iServer immediately after installation. Values are TRUE and FALSE.

varAttendedViewAcceptDialog

Determines whether the iAgent user is prompted whether to accept or reject an attempted viewing session by iTivity iManager. 

Values are:

TRUE - display the prompt

FALSE - do not display the prompt

varAttendedShowConnectPrompt

Determines whether the iTivity Connection Status dialog is displayed whenever the Support iAgent sends a help request. 

Values are:

TRUE - display the dialog

FALSE - do not display

varAttendedDisplayHelpRequest

Determines whether the Attended iAgent displays the Help Request window each time a user issues a Help Request. (See Section 6.1  for information on this window.) Values are:

TRUE - display the window

FALSE - do not display the window

varAttendedHelpAll

This setting can be used to remove the All option from the Recipients list in the Help Request window.  Values are:

1 - 'All' is displayed.

0 - 'All' is not displayed

varAttendedConnectDialogTitle

Determines the title displayed in the title bar of the Connection Status dialog. Default is "iTivity Connection Status." 

varAttendedShortcutDescription

This setting determines the shortcut description and title in the Help Window title bar. Default is "iTivity Help."


5.4.3  Unattended iAgent Settings

The following settings apply specifically to the Unattended iAgent. The parameters in bold are ones you will most likely need to review and edit.

Parameter

Description

varUnattendedAuthScheme

Determines the authentication method to be used when the iTivity iManager attempts to view a computer running this iAgent. 

Values are:

ntlm - (Microsoft Authentication): the iAgent authenticates the username and password against a Microsoft Domain or local database. Recommended for Windows computers.

ldap - The iAgent authenticates against a server running the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). If ldap is used, you must set additional Global iAgent Settings specific to this method.

simple - The iAgent authenticates against a simple password. You enter the password using the varAdminSimplePwd variable.

none - No authentication is required.

varUnattendedPermissionGroup

Required when using ntlm authentication. The name of a local NTLM user group that the installation will create.

varUnattendedWin9XAuthServer

Used only for NTLM installations on Windows 9X computers. Sets the Win9X/ME Authentication forwarding server.

varUnattendedSupportDomain

Sets the iServer support domain for this Unattended iAgent.

If you are not using iServer support domains leave this value blank. To declare more than one support domain, separate the values with a comma.

Example:
    ether.SetProperty( "varAdminSupportDomain", "GA.US,TX.US");

For more information on support domains, see the iTivity Deployment Guide.

varUnattendedSimplePwd

Used only if "Simple" authentication is selected. Sets the simple password. Numeric data type, in octal encoded format. Place a colon between each byte.

Example: da:41:48:17:c7:f7:b4:97

varUnattendediTivityConnectNow

Determines whether the iAgent will attempt to connect to the iServer immediately after installation. Values are TRUE and FALSE.

varUnattendedViewAcceptDialog

Determines whether the iAgent user is prompted whether to accept or reject an attempted viewing session by iTivity iManager. 

Values are:

TRUE - display the prompt

FALSE - do not display the prompt

varUnattendedShowConnectPrompt

Determines whether the iTivity Connection Status dialog is displayed whenever the Unattended iAgent sends a help request. 

Values are:

TRUE - display the dialog

FALSE - do not display

varUnattendedDisplayHelpRequest

Determines whether the Unattended iAgent displays the Help Request window each time a user issues a Help Request. (See Section 6.1 for information on this window.) Values are:

TRUE - display the window

FALSE - do not display the window

 

5.5  Installing an iAgent via One-Click Install

After the iAgent files are installed on a web server and the configuration parameters are set , users can install the Attended iAgent or Unattended iAgent on their computers using one-click install.

1.       Click on the supplied web page link in Internet Explorer or your e-mail client.

Example: The following image shows the default page delivered with iTivity (index.htm).

2.       The browser displays a dialog allowing the user to confirm or cancel the download and installation process.

3.       Click the option to confirm.

The iAgent is downloaded and installed. When the process is finished, the following page is displayed.

4.       Close Internet Explorer.

Results:

·         If you installed the Unattended iAgent, the computer automatically connects to the iServer and is ready to be remotely viewed.

·         If you installed Attended iAgent, you can connect to the iServer to request support at any time by choosing Start > Programs > iTivity > iTivity Help or by clicking the icon on the desktop:

5.6 Using the iTivity iAgents with a Proxy Server

The Unattended and Attended iAgents can be configured to connect to an iServer through a proxy server running the SOCKS v4 or v5 protocols.

SOCKS is an open Internet standard for performing network proxies at the transport layer. The following configuration information applies to both SOCKS version 4 and 5.

Proxy Server Modes

Four modes of proxy server use are supported by both iAgents.

Mode

Meaning

1

Disable - Only connect to iServer directly, no proxy server used. (Default)

2

Require - Only connect to iServer via proxy, no direct connection.

3

Fallback - If direct connection fails, then attempt the proxy connection.

4

Override - If the proxy connection fails, then attempt the direct connection.

Configuring Proxy Settings

On iAgent systems running Windows, you configure the proxy settings by editing the Windows Registry. The Proxy Mode is defined by the "socksMode" setting.

Following are example Registry settings.

Unattended iAgent Registry Example

 HKLM\Software\Tridia\iTivity\Connector_rc

 

"socksMode"=0x00000002 (2)

"socksHost"="firewall.acmeheavyindustries.com"

"socksPort"=0x00000438 (1080)

"socksUser"="itivity"

Attended iAgent Registry Example

 HKLM\Software\Tridia\iTivity\Connector_od

 

"socksMode"=0x00000001 (1)

"socksHost"="firewall.acmeheavyindustries.com"

"socksPort"=0x00000438 (1080)

"socksUser"="itivity"

"socksPwd"="access2internet"


Note: For information on configuring the Unattended iAgent on UNIX/Linux, see Section 8.4.1, Editing the iAgent.conf File.

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