Sessions View & Actions
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Sessions View & Actions
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The Sessions view is designed to display and manipulate user connections on your network.
The following types of sessions can be managed and monitored by ControlUp:
- Local console sessions (users working physically at the machine)
- Remote console sessions (RDP connections to the console of the machine)
- RDS connections (Sessions established using RDP on a Terminal / Remote Desktop Services host)
- Citrix HDX/ICA sessions on XenApp / Presentation Server machines
- Citrix HDX/ICA sessions on Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops (CVAD) VDI stations
- VMware Horizon user sessions (PCoIP or RDP)
- System and Services sessions (not displayed by default – use the “View Options” > Show System Sessions checkbox on the Ribbon Bar to change the default behavior)
When you switch to the Sessions view using the Sessions button on the Navigation Bar, the Information Grid will display all of the established user sessions on all of the machines you are currently connected to.
Note
Your active ControlUp license determines the number of sessions you may manage concurrently. For more information, please refer to the ControlUp Licensing chapter.
You can also switch to the Sessions view by double-clicking a machine's row in the Information Grid of the Machines view. In this case, the Information Grid will display only the user sessions established on the machine you selected.
Sessions View Column Reference
The following information columns are available in the Information Grid while using the Sessions view.
Active Application | The name of the application currently running in the foreground |
Active Application Title | The title of the application currently running in the foreground |
Active URL | The URL of the foreground Browser application, will be populated only if a Browser app is currently in the foreground |
Apps In Use | For an EUC session, the name of the published application/s in the session |
Apps in Use Count
| Count of distinct XenDesktop published applications currently running on the machine |
Avg. App Load Time | Average load time of the last recorded samples for selected user-mode applications running in the user's session, as defined in the App Load Time tab of the Settings window |
Average Encoding Time | The average frame encoding time, in milliseconds. |
Bandwidth Avg | The average of the last 20 "Protocol Bandwidth – Last Recorded" samples for the user session |
Bandwidth Last | For an active PCoIP or ICA session, the overall bandwidth for incoming/outgoing PCoIP or ICA packets averaged over a one-second sampling period |
Bandwidth Limit | The maximum bandwidth available for the traffic associated with the session, as defined by the administrator (ICA/HDX and PCoIP sessions only) |
Branch Name | Name of the branch or organizational unit associated with the session Client IP address (configurable in the Branch Name tab of the Settings window) |
Citrix Receiver Version | The current version of the Citrix Receiver installed on the client’s machine |
Client Device Score | Experience stress score of the client device based on the worst threshold among these metrics: Client WiFi Signal Lan Latency Total Session Latency Internet Latency |
Client Foreground App | Indicates whether the EUC Client is the foreground application on the client device connected to the session |
Client Inactive Time | EUC client's inactive time while the client device is connected to the session |
Client IP | IP address of the machine from which the session was initiated |
| Client NIC Name | The NIC name of the client device connected to the session
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| Client NIC Speed | The NIC speed of the client device connected to the session
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| Client NIC Type | NIC type of the client device connected to the session |
Client Name | Name of the machine from which the session was initiated |
Client OS Name | The OS type of the client device connected to the session
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Client OS Version | The OS Version of the client device connected to the session
|
Client Packet Loss | Percentage of network packet loss on the client device connected to the session |
Client Public IP | The public IP Address of the client device connected to the session |
Connect Time | Time of session’s last switch to the “Active” state |
CPU | Percentage of CPU consumed by this session |
CVAD Anonymous | For a CVAD session, indicates whether the session is of an anonymous user |
CVAD Apps In Use | For a CVAD session, the name of the published application/s in the session |
CVAD Apps In Use Count | For a CVAD session, the name of the published application/s in the session |
CVAD Authentication Duration | For a CVAD session, the authentication duration in milliseconds |
CVAD Brokering Date | For a CVAD session, the timestamp of brokering time |
CVAD Brokering Duration | For a CVAD session, brokering duration calculation in milliseconds |
CVAD Client Session Validate Date | For a CVAD session, timestamp of Client Session Validated |
CVAD Connected Via HostName | For a CVAD session, the hostname of the gateway, router or client via which the connection is established |
CVAD Connected Via IPAddress | For a CVAD session, the IP address of the gateway, router or client via which the connection is established |
CVAD Delivery Group | Name of the CVAD Delivery Group to which the machine hosting the session belongs |
CVAD Disconnect Date | For a CVAD session, the timestamp of the Disconnect event |
CVAD Disconnect Reason | For a CVAD session, the reason for the session disconnection |
CVAD Establishment Date | For a CVAD session, timestamp recorded on the Broker at the point when the VDA confirms session connect/reconnect maps to Resolution Time in Desktop Director UI |
CVAD Group Policy Load Time | For a CVAD session, the duration of the Group Policy load time |
CVAD HDX Connection Load Time | For a CVAD session, the duration of the HDX load time |
CVAD Interactive Session Load Time | For a CVAD session, the duration of Interactive load time |
CVAD Launched Via HostName | For a CVAD session, the hostname of the StoreFront server used to launch the session |
CVAD Launched Via IPAddress | For a CVAD session, the IP address of the StoreFront server used to launch the session |
CVAD Logon Duration | For a CVAD session, the total logon duration for this session (in milliseconds) |
CVAD Logon Scripts Load Time | For a CVAD session, the duration of the Logon Scripts Load Time |
CVAD Profile Load Time | For a CVAD session, the duration of the Profile load time |
CVAD Published Resource Type | Type of CVAD published resource (desktop/application) used in this session. |
CVAD Secure ICA Session | For a CVAD session, indicates whether SecureICA is active in the session |
CVAD Server Session Validate Date | For a CVAD session, timestamp of Server Session Validated |
CVAD Session Create Time | Time the session started (logon) |
CVAD Session Reconnected | For a CVAD session, indicates whether this connection is a reconnection to an existing session |
CVAD Site Name | For a CVAD machine, the name of the CVAD Site |
CVAD UPN | For a CVAD session, the User Principal Name (username@domainsuffix) |
CVAD VM Start Duration | For a CVAD session, the duration of the Start of the VM |
Desktop Load Time | The interval between the beginning of desktop initialization and the time the desktop became available to the user. This column is only applicable to full desktop sessions, not published application launches. |
Disconnect Time | Time of session’s last switch to the “Disconnected” state |
Disk Read KB/s | Number of KB per second read by all user's processes in the session |
| Disk Write KB/s | Number of KB per second written by all user's processes in the session |
Domain DNS | The name of the Active Directory domain of the user |
Frames Per Second | For an active Blast session, Number of image frames per second. |
Frames Skipped From Insufficient Client Resources | The number of frames skipped per second due to insufficient client resources. Higher values are usually caused by a lack of client-side resources. |
Frames Skipped From Insufficient Network Resources | The number of frames skipped per second due to insufficient network resources. Higher values are usually caused by poor network conditions. |
Frames Skipped From Insufficient Server Resources | The number of frames skipped per second due to insufficient server resources. Higher values are usually caused by a lack of server-side resources. |
GPU CPU Utilization | GPU CPU Utilization |
| GPU decoder Utilization | GPU decoder Utilization |
GPU encoder Utilization | GPU encoder Utilization |
GPU Frame Buffer Memory Utilization | GPU Frame Buffer Memory Utilization |
Group Policy Load Time | The loading time of the user logon group policies, not including logon scripts. |
HZ Agent Version | HZ Agent Version |
HZ Client Connection Server URL | In VMware Horizon View, the URL of the View Connection Server the View Client is attached to
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HZ Client Domain | In VMware Horizon View, the AD domain of the workstation running the View Client
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HZ Client Tunnel | In VMware Horizon View, whether or not the View Client is using a secure tunnel
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HZ Client Type | In VMware Horizon View, the OS type of the workstation running the View Client
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HZ Client Version | Client version for this session.
|
HZ Desktop Source | Desktop machine source if this is a Desktop session, unset otherwise
|
HZ Farm Name | Farm display name for this RDS Desktop or Application session, unset otherwise |
HZ Last Session Duration | Duration of the last connection period of the session
|
HZ Pod | The Horizon Pod name (Cloud Pod Architecture only) |
HZ Pool Display Name | The name of the Horizon Pool |
HZ Pool Name | The unique name of the Horizon Pool
|
HZ Security Gateway IP Address | IP address of the security gateway. For now, this will be populated for Unified Access Gateway only
|
HZ Security Gateway Name | The machine hostname or DNS name of the security gateway. This will be populated for - Security Server - Unified Access Gateway |
HZ Session Start Time | Time when this session was originally logged in |
HZ Session Type | Type of this session |
HZ Site | The Horizon Site name (Cloud Pod Architecture only) |
HZ Unauthenticated | Indicates if this session is of unauthenticated access user |
I/O Read Operations per second | The rate at which the session is issuing read I/O operations. This counter counts all I/O activity generated by the session to include file, network, and device I/Os. |
I/O Write Operations per second | The rate at which the session is issuing Write I/O operations. This counter counts all I/O activity generated by the session to include file, network, and device I/Os. |
ID | Session ID number |
Idle Time | Time elapsed since last user input was received in session |
Idle Time (Min) | Time elapsed since last user input was received in session |
Initial Program | Name of the published application used in the session (if appl.) |
Internet Latency | Latency between the client device connected to the session and the Google DNS servers |
LAN Latency | Latency between the client device connected to the session and the local router |
Latency Avg | The average of the last 20 samples of “Protocol Latency – Last Recorded“ |
Latency Last | For an active ICA or PCoIP session, the last reading of the protocol latency between the client and the server. When the ICA session is idle for more than 1 minute, this column will show N/A. |
Local Router IP | Client device's local router IP while connected to the session |
Location | Specified the resource location for a Citrix Cloud Connector Machines or VDA |
Logon Duration | The interval between the end of the user’s authentication and the time when the desktop became available to the user, or when a published application was launched. |
Logon Duration – Other | The time taken by logon scripts, 3rd party profile management solutions, and other components that delayed the logon process. |
Logon Time | Time of session establishment |
Machine | Name of the machine hosting the session |
Memory (Private Bytes) | Non-sharable memory committed to processes in session |
Memory (Working Set) | Total Working Set of all processes in the session |
Network Received KB/s | Number of KB per second received by all user's processes in the session |
Network Sent KB/s | Number of KB per second sent by all user's processes in the session |
Packet Loss | For an active Blast session, the network packet loss for uplink. For an active RDP, RDP-SxS, Blast, PCoIP session: The percentage of network packet loss. |
Page Faults/sec | Number of Page Faults per second in the session |
Processes | Number of processes currently running in this session |
Profile Load Time | The loading time of the Windows user profile for the session. |
Protocol | For a CVAD session, the protocol that the session is using (HDX, RDP, or Console) |
Resource Consumption Score | Shows the worst color indication from the following monitored columns: |
RTT | The round trip time since the user interaction till the graphical response being displayed, and not just until the network response (as in network latency). |
Session Create Time | For a CVAD session, time the session started (logon) |
Session Name | Session name (protocol, number) |
State | Current state of the session (active, disconnected, etc.) |
Stress Level | An aggregated measure of the session’s performance columns, as configured for the current record in the Stress Settings Pane. |
Tags | Custom column to display session tags. To create this column to add to the Sessions view, use the following registry settings: Registry Key:
Relevant Value: Data Type: Possible Data Values: Any character or numeral. After you first add tags, you must restart the ControlUp Agent (cuAgent) service once for this change to take effect. For more information, see Add Tags Column to Information Grid. |
Total Session Latency | Total session latency from the client device calculated from the second callback |
User | User name of the session’s owner |
User AD DN | The full DN path of the user object in Active Directory |
User AD OU | The name of the OU in which the user object is located in Active Directory |
User Full Name | The display name of the user object in Active Directory |
User Input Delay | Measures the time it takes for a user input to reach the application. |
User Logon Server | The name of the Active Directory domain controller used to authenticate the user account during logon. |
UX Score | Shows the worst color indication from the following monitored columns:Logon Duration,Protocol Latency -Session Avg,Protocol Bandwidth,Session Avg,Logon Time,Profile Load Time,Group Policy Load Time,Desktop Load Time,Logon Duration -Other,Protocol Bandwidth,Last Recorded,Protocol Latency -Last Recorded,CVAD Brokering Duration,Avg.App Load Time,CVAD Authentication Duration,CVAD Group Policy Load Time,CVAD HDX Connection Load Time,CVAD Interactive Session Load Time,CVAD Logon Duration,CVAD Logon Scripts Load Time,CVAD Profile Load Time |
View Client Connection Server URL | In VMware Horizon View, the URL of the View Connection Server the View Client is attached to. |
View Client Domain | In VMware Horizon View, the AD domain of the workstation running the View Client |
View Client Protocol | In VMware Horizon View, the protocol used by the View Client to attach to the VM |
View Client Tunnel | In VMware Horizon View, whether or not the View Client is using a secure tunnel |
View Client Type | In VMware Horizon View, the OS type of the workstation running the View Client |
WiFi Authentication | Authentication type used to connect to the wireless network by the client device connected to the session
|
WiFi Channel | Access point channel of the client device connected to the session
|
WiFi Radio Type | Radio protocol/type of the wireless network used by the client device connected to the session
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WiFi Signal | WiFi signal strength of the client device connected to the session measured in dBm displayed in percentage |
WiFi SSID | Name of the connected wireless network used by the client device connected to the session |
WiFi BSSID | MAC address of the access point to which the client device is currently connected |
Sessions Actions
These actions are available when selecting a session or a group of sessions. The actions can be invoked using either the Ribbon Bar “Actions” button, the context menu (right-click), or the Actions Panel.
Manage Registry
When invoked from the Sessions view, the Registry Controller enables viewing and editing the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry hive(s) corresponding to the selected user session(s). For more information about the Registry Controller, please see the Controllers Pane chapter.
Manage Programs and Updates
When invoked from the Sessions view, the Programs and Updates Controller enables viewing the programs installed for each user who has a session established on one of your managed machines. For more information about the Programs and Updates Controller, please see the Controllers Pane chapter.
RDP to Machine
Switches the display to the Remote Desktops pane and establishes a Remote Desktop session on the machine on which the selected user session is hosted.
Chat
With ControlUp, you can open a text chat session with any user currently logged on in your system. Both you and the end user will be presented with a chat window and the chat session will continue until terminated by closing the window.
Remote Assistance
You can use ControlUp to establish Remote Assistance sessions for support and troubleshooting purposes. When you first perform this action, you will be required to configure a password for the remote assistance invitation. During the connection attempt, the end user will receive a confirmation dialog box requesting permission for you to connect to the assistance session. Note that this action utilizes the built-in Windows Remote Assistance capabilities, which should be enabled on the target machine. If the Remote Assistance is blocked by policy or isn't installed as a feature, ControlUp can of enable / install it remotely with your approval.
Terminal Services (sessions actions category)
Disconnect Session
This action Issues a disconnect command for the selected session(s). The session(s) will then be handled according to your Terminal Services configuration and Group Policy (left disconnected or logged off after a timeout). The end user is not notified of this action.
Log Off Session
This action invokes a log-off process for the selected session(s), closing all currently open programs. The end user is not notified of this action.
Shadow Session
Using this action, you can establish a remote control session that will allow you to view the activity and collaborate with the target user. This is achieved using the session shadowing mechanism, which needs to be enabled on the target RDS. In order to shadow Citrix ICA sessions, the Citrix Online Plugin needs to be installed on the machine on which you are running the ControlUp console.
Note
When shadowing a user session on an RDS, a new session will be opened for you on that server. This session will log off automatically when the session shadowing is finished.
Note
Various issues not related to ControlUp may prevent your session shadowing from working correctly. Please see the Troubleshooting chapter in this document to check for possible resolutions.
Send Super-Message
A Super-Message is a rich-text message that can include graphics, text formatting, and various display options. Super Messages can be configured to allow user feedback, to disappear automatically after a configured period of time, or to be displayed on top of other windows.
Send Message
This action sends a standard “net send”-style message to the selected user session.
Get Session Screenshot
This action allows you to get a quick screenshot of the user’s activity for support or troubleshooting purposes. The selected session has to be active and unlocked for this operation to complete successfully. This operation can be performed in the following modes:
- User approval – the end user(s) will be presented with a warning message asking for approval of the administrator’s attempt to receive a screenshot of the user’s current activity.
- User notification – the end user(s) will be presented with a warning message stating that the administrator has requested to receive a screenshot of the user’s current activity. No user approval is needed.
- No notification – the end user(s) will not be notified of the action.
Note
Please respect the regulations effective in your region and/or organization in regard to the users’ privacy. From a privacy standpoint, it is general practice to request the users’ permission before obtaining a screenshot of their activity. If your user environment involves sensitive or classified activity, it is recommended that you configure the screenshot restriction, as explained below.
If your company policy states that users must be notified before taking a screenshot of their activity or if taking screenshots of user activity is prohibited altogether, you can restrict this action using ControlUp’s Security Policy. This can be achieved either by denying the relevant “Get Session Screenshot” permission explicitly or by configuring it to “Not set”. For details on setting permissions, visit Security Policy Pane - Version 8.1.5 and Above.
Group Policy (sessions actions category)
Refresh User Group Policy
This action triggers a Group Policy update on the remote user session using Windows built-in GPUPDATE utility with /Target:User parameter. You can manipulate the “Force” and “Timeout” parameters using the action window.
Kill Policy
This action removes any group policy restrictions applied to the target user(s) environment, such as start menu restrictions, blocked locations in Windows Explorer, etc. This can be useful during support sessions in order to allow a user to perform actions normally blocked by Group Policy.
Since the user’s shell (explorer.exe) is restarted when this action is performed, the user will experience a brief disappearance of the Start Manu and taskbar as well as the closing of any open Windows Explorer windows.
Reapply Group Policy
Reapplies Group Policy restrictions previously removed by the “Kill User Group Policy” action. The user’s shell will be restarted again when this action is performed.
Registry (sessions actions category)
Registry Import
This action performs an import of a given .reg file to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive of the target user session(s). This action is not available as part of the Registry Controller in the Sessions view.
Processes (sessions actions category)
Start Process in Session
This action allows you to launch a process inside the selected user session(s). You can run any executable that is accessible by the user(s) on the target machine(s). If using a command-line expression or a batch file, please prepend “cmd.exe /c ” to your command. This action will work correctly only if the target end user(s) has appropriate permissions to launch the selected process.
Note
processes started using ”Run Process” action are executed interactively inside the user’s session, so all command output and launched windows will be visible to the user. In order to launch system-level tasks that will be invisible to the user, use the “Run As” command in the Machines view.
Script-based Actions
Invokes any Script-based Actions downloaded or created for use in your organization and configured to be applicable to Sessions. For more details, please refer to the Script-based Actions chapter .
Go to
Using this submenu, you can quickly switch the current view to the Machines view, while selecting the machine on which the selected user session is hosted.
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