Enable Console Connect (remote support)

Console Connect allows you to remotely connect to user sessions, session hosts (AVD and AVD for Azure Local), endpoints, and desktop images to enable you to perform support functions.

Configure Console Connect firewall

Console Connect is a feature delivered in partnership with Zoho, where Zoho provide the underlying infrastructure. This means that before you enable Console Connect, you need to complete some initial configuration tasks.

Configure firewall compatibility

To ensure compatibility between Console Connect and your firewall, you need to ensure the following tasks have been completed:

• Exclude domains in the firewall and proxy settings.

• Allow certain ports in the firewall settings.

• Include executable files or exclude directories from the firewall settings.

Configure IP address and domain

You need to exclude TCP and WebSocket protocols for the domains listed, from your firewall and proxy settings.

To get the IP addresses to add to your allowed list, for ports TCP 80 and 443, for all regions, run the nslookup command against gateway.console-connect.com.

You can also bypass SSL inspection for the following DNS names:

• *.console-connect.com

• *.zoho.com

• *.zoho.eu

• *.zoho.in

• *.zoho.com.au

• *.zoho.jp

• *.zoho.uk

• *.zoho.sa

• *.zohocloud.ca

• downloads.zohocdn.com

• *.zohoassist.com

• *.zohomeeting.com

• *.zohocdn.com

Configure antivirus

You need to configure your firewall and antivirus settings to allow the following executables or directories:

Allow the following directories:

• 32 bit OS: %localappdata%/zohomeeting/, %programfiles%/ZohoMeeting

• 64 bit OS: %localappdata%/zohomeeting/, %programfiles(x86)%/ZohoMeeting

Allow the following executables:

• agent.exe

• agent_ui.exe

• ZMAgent.exe

• ViewerUI.exe

• NativeViewer.exe

• ZAFileTransfer.exe

• ZA_Upgrader.exe

• ZA_Connect.exe

• Connect.exe

• CustomerPlugin.exe

• CustomerPluginApp.exe

• ZAService.exe

• ZohoURSService.exe

• ZohoTray.exe

• ZohoURS.exe

• CustomerPlugin_V2.exe

• Connect_V2.exe

• ZA_Access_V2.exe

Prerequisites

To enable Console Connect for Intune devices you need to have Intune integration enabled in Manage mode for Intune Applications and App policies and Device policies. See Enable and configure Intune for details.

Enable Console Connect

Before you can use Console Connect, you need to enable it for your region.

To enable Console Connect:

1. Navigate to Settings and do one of the following:

   • Classic UI: Select Integrations, scroll down to the Console Connect tile and select Add region configuration.

     

   • New UI: Select Environment, and then select the Integrations tab from the top. Scroll down, expand the Console Connect section, and select Add.

     

2. Select to acknowledge and accept the Console Connect terms of service.

   

3. Select OK to continue.

4. Enter the following information:

   • Region: From the drop-down list, select the region you want to configure.

     Note: The regions available in the drop-down list are those that have not yet been added and configured.

   • Select host pools: From the drop-down list, select the host pools containing the session hosts you want to connect to. You can also start to type the name into the box.

   • Select Windows 365 provisioning policies: Start typing the name of the policy that contains the devices you want to connect to.

   • Select Intune device groups to automatically add to Console Connect: Start typing the names of the Intune groups that contain the device you want to connect to.

     Note: If you want to use Console Connect for Intune endpoints, you must have Intune Applications and App policies permission set to Manage and not Read-only on the Intune configuration. If you do not have this permission set, the Console Connect region configuration does not display the Select Intune device groups to automatically add to Console Connect option.

   • Session confirmation: Select this option if you want to display a message on the desktop during remote session initiation, and then enter the message text in the box below.

5. Once configured, select OK.

   

You can also enable Console Connect at the host pool level.

To enable Console Connect from a host pool:

1. Navigate to the host pool you want to enable Console Connect for, and then do one of the following:

   • Classic UI: From the action menu, select Properties.

   • New UI: Select the more options icon, and then select Properties.

2. From the left-hand menu options, select Console Connect.

3. Toggle the Use Console Connect option On.

4. Select Save & close.

With Console Connect enabled, you can now connect to the session hosts and devices.

Edit a Console Connect configuration

You can edit a Console Connect regional configuration to update the selected host pools, provisioning policies, and Intune device groups.

To edit a Console Connect configuration:

1. Navigate to Settings and do one of the following:

   • Classic UI: Select Integrations, scroll down to the Console Connect tile and select the region configuration you want to edit.

     

   • New UI: Select Environment, and then select the Integrations tab. Scroll down, expand the Console Connect section, and select the configure icon next to the region you want edit.

     

2. Edit the configuration information as required, and then select OK.

Show Console Connect statistics

Console Connect enable you to view the statistics or each region.

To show Console Connect statistics:

1. Navigate to Settings and do one of the following:

   • Classic UI: Select Integrations, scroll down to the Console Connect tile and select the statistics link next to the region you want show statistics for.

     

   • New UI: Select Environment, and then select the Integrations tab. Scroll down, expand the Console Connect section, and select the statistics icon next to the region you want to show statistics for.

     

The statistics dialog box is displayed:

Connect to an AVD or AVD for Azure Local session host

Nerdio Manager Console Connect, enables you to connect remotely to an AVD or AVD Local session host within the host pools configured to use Console Connect.

To connect to an AVD session host:

1. Navigate to the AVD session host you want to connect to.

2. Initiate the remote connection by doing one of the following:

   • Classic UI: From the action menu, select Connect.

   • New UI: Select the more options icon, and then select >_ Connect.

     

3. In the Console Session dialog box, select Interactive user session, and then select OK to initiate the connection.

   

4. Once connected, the console of the session host is displayed in a browser tab.

   

5. For additional troubleshooting tools, select Diagnostics. This provides access to the command prompt or PowerShell, along with other tools.

   

6. To exit the session and disconnect, select the exit icon in the bottom-left corner.

   

7. Select End now to confirm.

8. Once the session has ended, a summary screen is displayed.

   

9. Select Close Page.

Connect to a Windows 365 Cloud PC session

Nerdio Manager Console Connect enables you to connect remotely to an active user session.

To connect to a Windows 365 Cloud PC session:

1. Navigate to the Windows 365 Cloud PC you want to connect to.

2. From the action menu, select Connect.

3. In the Console Session dialog box, select Interactive user session, and then select OK to initiate the connection.

4. Once the user has accepted the connection, the session starts.

Connect to an endpoint device

Nerdio Manager Console Connect enables you to connect remotely to an endpoint device.

To connect to an endpoint device:

1. Navigate to Endpoints > All Devices.

2. Select the device you want to connect to, and from the action menu, select Connect.

   

3. In the Console Session dialog box, select OK to initiate the connection.

   

4. Once connected, the console of the device is displayed in a browser tab.

   

5. For additional troubleshooting tools, select Diagnostics. This provides access to the command prompt or PowerShell, along with other tools.

6. To exit the session and disconnect, select the exit icon in the bottom-left corner.

   

7. Select End now to confirm.

8. Once the session has ended, a summary screen is displayed.

9. Select Close Page.

Connect to a desktop image

Nerdio Manager Console Connect, enables you to connect remotely to a desktop image to enable easier remote connectivity for managing desktop image hosts that may not have a direct line of sight on the network to allow for RDP access..

To connect to a desktop image:

1. Navigate to Desktop images, and locate the desktop image you want to connect to.

2. Select the more actions menu icon, and then select Connect.

   Note: If the selected image does not have Console Connect installed, then a dialog box is displayed enabling you to select the region and install it.

   

3. Once Console Connect is installed, you can initiate the connection.

4. In the Console Session dialog box, select Interactive user session, and then select OK to connect.

   

Once connected, the console of the device is displayed in a browser tab.

Connect to an unattended session with the toolbox option

Nerdio Manager enables you to connect to an active user session that also provides you with a list of powerful tools to help understand, diagnose, and resolve issues. Launching a toolbox session gives you easy access to PowerShell, Windows services, Task Manager, Registry Editors and many other tools. Session can be both interactive or unattended and therefore not affecting the end user.

To connect to a toolbox session:

1. Navigate to the Windows 365 Cloud PC, session host, endpoint, or desktop image you want to connect to.

2. From the action menu, select Connect.

3. In the Console Session dialog box, select Toolbox, and then select OK to initiate the connection.

   

4. The toolbox session is initiated.

5. From the left-hand menu, select the tool you want to run. The output is displayed on the right.

   

From the Toolbox, you also have direct access to run PowerShell, by selecting the PowerShell tab, or to use the Run as command.