Overview

Use IBM® BigFix® Remote Control to start remote control sessions over the internet with targets that do not have the target software installed.

IBM BigFix Remote Control provides a feature that you can use to temporarily install the target software to allow the session to be authenticated and managed by the IBM BigFix Remote Control server.

These remote control sessions are started by using the broker component to make the connection. IBM BigFix Remote Control provides a default web page that the target user can access to enter any required information before the target software is installed. This web page must be published on the internet. The web page is available when you have the IBM BigFix Remote Control server component installed. However, for security, the server must not be visible on the internet. Therefore, the web page can be hosted on an internet-facing HTTP or Application server, or published through a reverse proxy. The broker can be set up as a reverse proxy. Using a reverse proxy allows access to the web page without full access to the server on the internet. For more information about using a reverse proxy, see On-demand target portal access for internet users. You can customize the web page by adding extra input fields to it. You can also integrate the web page into your own company website.

When the target software is installed and the connection information is authenticated by the server, the remote control session starts. However, if the controller user does not have sufficient permissions to access the target, the remote control session is refused. Connections from an on-demand target can use an HTTP proxy server to reach the broker. If a proxy server is present, the proxy settings are automatically retrieved from either the Internet Explorer proxy settings or the Firefox proxy settings. If authentication is required for the proxy server, the target user is asked to enter proxy credentials before the session starts. The functions available during the remote control session are determined by server policies. At the end of the session, the target software is removed from the target computer. For more information about the functions available during a remote control session, see the IBM BigFix Remote Control Installation Guide.

Note: Although a session with an on-demand target is managed by the server, the target is classed as unregistered. The target details are not saved on the server and the target software is removed at the end of the session. The policies that are used for the session are based only on the identity of the controller user.