Starting a Remote Terminal session

Important:  If the asset is muted, you will be not be able to start any remote sessions Once the asset is unmuted, the ability to start remote session for this asset is restored.

You can start a Remote Terminal session in two ways:

o        From the Asset dashboard, click the name of the session in the Remote Sessions module. When the Remote Session window appears, continue to step 2 in the following procedure.

o        If the name of the session you want to start does not appear in the Remote Sessions module, click View All and use the following procedure.

Notes: For a Remote Terminal session, the Remote Sessions module displays the first ten characters of the login name of the user who started the session. If you move the cursor over these characters, you can see the complete name (in a Tool Tip).

The timeout for ending an inactive Remote Terminal Telnet session is configured by your Platform administrator.

To start a Remote Terminal session

1.       For a remote session shown in the table with a type of Terminal, under Actions click Run. The Remote Session window opens. This window accepts and displays standard Telnet commands passed to and from the asset. Need help troubleshooting browser problems?

2.       Type a description for this session. This description is required; it is saved with the session and used to identify it in the Remote Sessions table and in Session History.

3.       If you do not want any other users to join this session, click Exclusive access. By default this option is not selected and other users with privileges to this asset and to remote terminal sessions can join this session.

4.       Click Start Session.

Waiting for connection

The Remote Session window appears. This window displays the following text until a connection is made: "Waiting for the asset to retrieve the Remote Session request." If you want to cancel the session before it is connected, click Cancel Session. As indicated in the window, the server updates the window with the latest information every 5 seconds (by default).

If the session cannot be started for any reason (for example, it is denied by Axeda® Policy Server), a message appears with the reason the session could not be started.

Asset-side authentication required

If the asset owner requires additional authentication, a message indicating the session cannot be started is shown. If this message appears, do the following:

a.       Type your username and password for the authentication server for that asset.

b.       Click Login.

The agent running on the asset passes your credentials to the local authentication server. When the asset next connects to the Platform, the session should be connected. You may be prompted to type your credentials a second time.

Connected

When the asset next contacts the Platform, the session is connected and the window shows the message "Connected".

Next, the applet window shows the standard Telnet login prompt for your user name and password. This window accepts and displays standard Telnet commands passed to and from the asset. Need help troubleshooting browser problems?

Before you can type your login and password you first need to click in the window to gain focus.

Type your user name and then password. If your login is validated, the session is connected and you can use the Remote Access Terminal window to communicate with the asset. See what you can do in the Remote Access Applet window.

Note: If you do not log into the session within the specified timeframe, you are disconnected from the host, as indicated with a message from the terminal.

Once in a Remote Terminal session, you can request control, give control, and end that session. There are several procedures applicable to using the remote terminal window.

To join a Remote Terminal session

You can join a remote terminal session only if the session was created in a non-exclusive way. If the Join link appears next to the name of the Remote Terminal session you want to join in the Remote Sessions module on the Asset dashboard, click the Join link to connect to the session.

If the name of the session does NOT appear in the Remote Sessions module, click View All in the module and locate the session in the Remote Sessions page. If the Remote Terminal session is active and non-exclusive, a Join link appears in the Remote Sessions page, under Actions:

1.       Click the Join link. The Remote Access Terminal window appears, showing the name of the user who created the session and your user name with the label "Observing".

2.       If you want to type commands in the terminal window you need to click Request Control.

The user who created the session sees that you want control and can pass control to you. If you have control, your user name in the terminal window appears with the label Typing. (At this point any other users, including the user who created the session, have the label "Observing".)

When you are connected to a session, whether or not you have control of the session, there are several procedures applicable to using the remote terminal window.