New Beta Release! Experience the latest features in our new beta version. Join the beta testing now!

Community


Updating Connection name to current Device name

Links used in this discussion
Jonathan Martin, User (Posts: 2)
Sep 13, 2018 11:46:11 am EDT
We are currently on Host and Viewer version 6.8.0.1 and are wondering how others are handling connections when the name of the device changes. We manage several hundred devices virtualized and physical. We regularly swap out machines in various positions and must update the system name to reflect what/where it is located. This causes the naming to become out of sync with what RU has in the address book. We can manually update the host connection name to match the name change, but is there anyway to prompt the host to check the device name and update its entry in the address book. It would even be fine if it reported as a new connection after the name change.
Conrad, Support (Posts: 2987)
Sep 13, 2018 1:52:46 pm EDT
Hello Jonathan,

Thank you for your question. Do you use Active Directory sync capabilities available in the Viewer?
Jonathan Martin, User (Posts: 2)
Sep 13, 2018 2:26:32 pm EDT
Unfortunately the devices that we're concerned about are non domain joined. They're mainly used as a terminal for users to remotely access their virtualized workstation.
Conrad, Support (Posts: 2987)
Sep 14, 2018 6:28:34 am EDT
Hello Jonathan,

Just wanted to clarify a few terms. The connection name is actually just a descriptive name for the entry in the address book. Whereas the actual value used as a remote computer address (this can be a hostname/DNS, an IP address or Internet-ID) is stored in either the "Direct connection" or "Internet-ID connection" field. I assume that it is one of these fields that you mean when you mention the connection name.

but is there anyway to prompt the host to check the device name and update its entry in the address book.

This problem does not exist if Internet-ID connection is used because the Internet-ID code stays the same on the host regardless of computer name. If you explicitly use direct connection though, there is no way for the Host to communicate back to the Viewer in case its hostname has changed. The Viewer will simply show the Host as offline in its address book.

You can try the following solution - switch to using Internet-ID connection. While this connection type uses an intermediary server the program still tries to find and use direct route between Viewer and Host, if possible. For this to work you should still keep the incoming TCP port 5650 on the Host open though, just as with the regular direct connection.  

If you don't want the program to connect to our public ID servers feel free to install and use the self-hosted server, it's free.

Hope that helps.

* Website time zone: America/New_York (UTC -4)