Hitachi

JP1 Version 12 JP1/IT Desktop Management 2 Overview and System Design Guide


2.7.18 Recording and playback of remote control sessions

You can record screen activity at a remotely controlled computer and save the recording as a video file. You can then play back the recorded file on a controller.

Recorded files can also be converted to AVI format and played back on video player software such as Windows Media Player. You can use video recordings in this way to give troubleshooting advice or program operating instructions to a user, even if no controllers are installed in the environment.

Recordings of computer screen activity can be used in the following ways:

Troubleshooting

Some level of proficiency is needed for users to handle computer problems on their own. Understanding what to do is easier if the administrator can describe procedures using a video recording. Problems can be resolved more efficiently without any need for written instructions.

Training

Program operating instructions and work procedures can be recorded and used as training materials. For example, a complicated operation that is difficult to describe in a manual can be more easily conveyed in a video clip.

Organization of this subsection

(1) Viewing the recording status of a remote control sessions

You can check the recording status of a remote control session by displaying the recording status icon in the status bar.

To display the recording status icon, navigate to the Logging tab of the Options dialog box which opens from the Remote Control window. The recording status icon appears only during remote control sessions.

The following icons show the recording status of a remote computer desktop:

Tip

You can start or stop a recording from the pop-up menu that appears when you right-click the displayed icon.

(2) Settings for efficient video recording of remote control sessions

Selecting a destination file each time you start recording screen activity is an inefficient way of working. You can save time by setting the destination file and file name in advance. You can also set an option to begin recording as soon as you connect to the remote computer.

To set up recording, click the Options button in the tool bar of the Remote Control window. Then go to the Logging tab of the displayed dialog box.

Setting recording files

When you specify a recording file on the Logging tab, all recordings will be automatically saved to that file, which means that the specified file will be overwritten at each recording or you will need to set up a new file each time you record screen activity. However, if you need to manage multiple files of individual recordings, you can set the recording file name using variables. When recording begins, the recording will be saved under the file name with the variables replaced by values. Three different variables can be used in file names:

You specify a file name incorporating these variables, or you can select one of three file name templates supplied by default.

Some examples of file names that incorporate variables are given below. The computer name in these examples is 10.xxx.xxx.4, the date is April 1, 2011, and the time is 15:05:45. To set file names like these, select a template in the Select Recording File dialog box which opens from the Logging tab.

Selecting a supplied template

From the File type list, select one of the following file name templates:

  • Recording file (name.jcr)

    Example: 10.xxx.xxx.4.jcr

  • Recording file (name date time.jcr)

    Example: 10.xxx.xxx.4 2011-04-01 150545.jcr

  • Recording file (date time name.jcr)

    Example: 2011-04-01 150545 10.xxx.xxx.4.jcr

Specifying a file name that includes variables

In the File name box, type the file name using variables.

  • $(Agent) $(Date).jcr

    Example: 10.xxx.xxx.4 2011-04-01.jcr

  • UserName (nnn)_ $(Date).jcr

    Example: nnn_2011-04-01.jcr

Setting to begin recording at remote connection

To start recording as soon as you connect to the remote computer, select the Start recording when connected check box.

(3) Remote control operations at the user side

The remote control agent is part of an agent program that allows remote control on the user computer. Usually no operations are required on the remotely controlled side, but if necessary the user can deny connection or check remote connection status. The remote control agent can issue connection requests to controllers as well as waiting for connections from controllers.

From Remote Control Settings in the Agent Configurations view, you can set up the remote control agent to start automatically. The remote control agent will then start automatically whenever any computer on which it is installed is started.

If automatic startup is not specified, you will need to ask the user to start the remote control agent manually. To start the remote control agent manually, from the Windows Start menu, select All Programs, JP1_IT Desktop Management 2 - Agent, Remote Control Agent, and then Remote Control Agent.

When Remote Control Agent starts, the Remote Control Agent icon ([Figure]) appears in the task bar.

If you did set up the agent configuration for status icon display, the Remote Control Agent icon and status window will not appear when the remote control agent is active.

Tip

The Remote Control Agent icon ([Figure]) indicates that no controllers are connected. When a controller connects with the remote computer, the icon changes according to the connection mode.

Tip

The Remote Control Agent icon does not appear in the task bar in Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. If you want to display the icon, from the Control Panel select Customizing the desktop and then Customizing the taskbar icon. Set Show icon and notifications for the Remote Control Agent icon.

(4) Checking controller connection status

You can check the following information from the status window or from the Remote Control Agent icon that appears when the remote control agent starts:

Remote Control Agent icon displays

The Remote Control Agent icon is color-coded as follows to indicate controller connection status:

When you position the mouse pointer on the Remote Control Agent icon, the number of connected controllers appears.

Display in the status window

The color of the title bar of the status window shows controller connection status. The color coding is the same as for the Remote Control Agent icon. The connection status, connection mode, and number of connected controllers are shown in the title bar.

The number in parentheses in the title bar is the number of connected controllers.