Remote Assistance for Sessions

What is Remote Assistance?

Alternatively called Windows Remote Assistance, Remote Assistance (RA) is a Windows OS feature that allows others to connect to your computer.

Using Remote Assistance, a computer user can allow another person to view their computer screen, get help performing specific tasks, or fix issues. Remote assistance also allows another person to remotely control the mouse cursor and type commands into the computer without being at the computer.

Remote Assistance Configurations in HyWorks

Prerequisites

• Active Directory Domain Environment: Remote assistance enabling and configurations can be done via group policies.

  • Session host servers and helpers machines are both joined to the domain.

• The Helper user must be a domain user and logged in to the system using only domain credentials. How to provide remote assistance helper permissions is later explained in this document.

• Port and connectivity Requirements: Remote assistance will require the reachability of the following ports from the helper's machine to the session host servers:

From	To	Port#	Use / If not opened
Helper system (On which RA is being launched)	HyWorks Controller	443	To access the HyWorks management console. If not opened, the helper user cannot access the HyWorks management console and download the remote assistance file.
Helper system (On which RA is being launched)	Session Host Servers	3389	The default port for RDP Ref: Administering Remote Assistance | Microsoft Learn. If not opened, remote assistance will not work, and the helper user will witness an error saying that your offer to help could not be sent.
Helper system (On which RA is being launched)	Session Host Server	135	Remote Procedure calls for uninterrupted connection. If not opened, remote assistance will not work, and the helper user will witness an error saying your offer to help could not be sent.

• OS Support:

  • Remote assistance will be supported on Windows-based desktop or applications sessions only and will not be available for any Linux-based desktops or applications.

Configurations

To make remote assistance possible from the HyWorks management console, the following configurations have to be done:

1. Enable Remote Assistance using Group Policies and Assign Helper Role

2. Preparing Helper's Systems

3. HyWorks Configurations

Enable Remote Assistance using Group Policies and Assign Helper Role

Follow the below steps to enable remote assistance group policies and configure users/groups for permissions:

1. Login to a Domain controller or member server installed with the Group Policy Management console.

2. Launch the Group Policy Management console.

3. Either edit an existing Group Policy object or create a new one using the Group Policy Management Tool.

4. Expand the Computer Configuration/Policies/Administrative Templates/System/Remote Assistance node.

5. Enable Configure Offer Remote Assistance setting.

   1. Go to Computer Configuration/Policies/Administrative Templates/System/Remote Assistance node. Right-click Configure Offer Remote Assistance setting and click Edit.

   2. On the Configure Offer Remote Assistance window, click Enabled. This enables the policy. You must permit remote control of the computer.

      1. From the drop-down, select Allow helpers to remotely control the computer. Next to helpers, click the Show button.

      2. Enter the names of the helpers. Add each user or group one by one. While adding helpers, users, or groups, use the following format.

         1. <Domain Name>\<User Name>

         2. <Domain Name>\<Group Name>

   3. Click OK.

6. Update the group policies on client (Helper's) systems and session host servers, which should be enabled for remote assistance.

Preparing Helper's Systems

Domain Membership and Sign-in with Domain User Credentials

1. The machine should be a member of the AD, which has the above group policy configured.

2. The helper logs into the system with its domain user credentials.

Permissions

1. The helper must log into the system with domain user credentials

2. Helper users must have been permitted remote assistance via group policy, as described in the section above.

HyWorks Client Installation and Version Requirement

• HyWorks client with remote assistance support is installed on the helper's machine. The minimum version to have remote assistance support is v3.2.8.405 or later.

Remote Assistance from Server OS

If the helper is trying to provide remote assistance from the server OS, then the remote assistance role has to be enabled by the server manager. Follow the below steps to enable the remote assistance role on the server OS:

1. Open the Server Manager.

2. Select Manage > Add Roles and Features from the Server Manager Dashboard.

3. Click Next to display the Select Server Roles window.

4. Select the Remote Access check box.

5. If prompted to install additional roles, click the Add Features button to continue.

6. Click Next until the Select Role Services page is displayed.

7. Select Routing. You are prompted to install additional required components.

8. Review the list of additional requirements, and then click OK.

9. A remote assistance role will be installed, and the system will be configured for taking remote assistance sessions.

HyWorks Configurations

To use the remote assistance feature from HyWorks, the following two configurations will be required:

Enabling Remote Assistance for Desktop Pools or Applications

• Advance Configuration: Remote assistance should be enabled from the HyWorks advance configurations: HyWorks Controller Management Console > Settings > General > Advance Settings:

  • Enable MSRA: Set as True.

• Desktop Pools: To enable remote assistance for desktop pools, follow the below steps:

  1. While adding/ editing the Desktop Pool > Advanced tab

     • Enable Remote Assistance: This option enables remote assistance for the pool.

• Applications: In Add/Edit Application wizard > Application Information tab > Application Information section:

  1. Enable Remote Assistance: Select this option to enable remote assistance.

Permissions in the HyWorks Management Console

To download remote assistance for specific sessions, the user must be able to log into the HyWorks management console and have the following permissions:

1. A custom role can be created, or any existing custom role can be modified to get the above permissions:

   1. User Sessions Page: View permission.

   2. Desktop Sessions Page: View permission.

   3. Application Sessions: View permission.

   4. Download the Remote Assistance File: View and Update permission.

2. The user or the group of users should be assigned the role created in the previous step (step#1).

3. Now, this user, on logging into HyWorks Management Console, can navigate to appropriate pages and download a remote assistance file.

Step-by-Step Working of Remote Assistance

Considering all configurations are already in place, the helper user can follow the below steps to provide remote support:

1. The end-user is connected to respective desktop or application sessions and seeking help, thus calling or informing the helper user.

2. Helper user on its system logged in with domain user credentials and had appropriate membership for remote assistance.

   1. On logging into the HyWorks Management Console, navigate to the respective (application/desktop sessions page).

   2. Locate the desktop or application session of the respective user

3. Click on the Download MSRA Details icon. A remote assistance file with .acmsra extension will be downloaded.

4. Assuming the user system has the appropriate client version installed, the user can double-click on the downloaded file to invoke the session.

5. The remote user should accept the remote assistance to complete the process.

6. The helper user will be able to view the remote user's session and will be able to assist.

Troubleshooting and Known Limitations

Double-clicking on the downloaded remote assistance file is not working

The issue may occur if the appropriate HyWorks client version is not installed on the helper's system.

Resolution: Follow the steps given in section HyWorks Client Installation and Version Requirement to resolve this issue.

Unable to download remote assistance file from Management Console

The user cannot download the remote assistance file from the HyWorks Controller Management console. An error, "The user 'Username' is not authorized to do 'Update' operation on ' Download Remote Assistance File,'" is displayed.

Resolution: Follow the steps here to provide the user with appropriate permissions and resolve this issue.

Download Remote Assistance Details icon is shown as greyed out

Usually, in such cases, hovering the mouse over the greyed icon should provide the cause of disabling the icon. Following are some such cases:

• Remote Assistance is disabled from HyWorks Advance Configurations.

Not able to see remote assistance icon against desktop or application session

• Possibly, remote assistance is not enabled in the respective desktop pool or application configuration.

  • Resolution: Follow the steps given in section Enabling Remote Assistance for Desktop Pools or Applications to enable remote assistance for respective desktop pools or applications.

• The remote assistance icon is not visible for Linux-based personal/ shared hosted desktop sessions or applications. So make sure the session being assisted is from Windows systems.

Failing to invoke remote assistance session with error: Your offer to help could not be sent

Multiple reasons may cause the issue and will require checking the following configurations in step by step manner:

1. Remote assistance is enabled, and the user is assigned an appropriate remote assistance role.

2. The user is not logged in to the system with domain user credentials, refer details in section Domain Membership and Sign-in With Domain User Credentials.

3. Network or port requirements are not satisfied.

MSRA - Microsoft Remote Assistance is not enabled on the system.

The error is usually shown when the user tries to provide support from the server OS, and the Remote Assistance feature is not enabled on the server.

Follow the steps provided in section Remote Assistance from Server OS to enable the remote assistance feature.

On invoking remote assistance, the helper user is not directly given the session but prompted with a list of user sessions running on the server.

The problem occurs when the user is attempting to support in the following condition:

1. Helper's or novice user's system is Windows 2016/ Windows 2012R2/ Windows 2008/ Windows 8.1/ Windows 8/ Windows 7

   • Resolution: No solution is currently available; the helper user must decide based on the session ID and username on the desktop or application sessions page.

2. Operating systems are 2019 or Windows 10 and above, but still, the user is prompted with a list of sessions on the server: Domain name configuration used in HyWorks Authentication Server does not match with NetBIOS name. e.g., the NetBIOS name is an example, but the configured authentication server uses a domain name as "example.com".

   • In such cases, it is advised to update the HyWorks authentication configurations carefully.