We are pleased to announce the release of ActivTrak 2.3 on April 26, 2010. This is a final, stable release, and we recommend ActivTrak users upgrade to this version. ActivTrak 2.3 delivers a variety of  improved features, including: multiple NIC hand, 64 bit ActivTrak Agent,  and modified Viewer.

This list covers the major upgrades, but doesn’t include every little bug fix and change:

• Agent and Viewer can handle multiple NICs
• Modified Viewer to handle IP changes
• Fxed agent to handle slow binding on IP changes
• Fixed a list of UAC Issues.

Misc:

• Modified relay to allow installation on 64 bit computers
• Removed unnecessary call to picture properties that caused crash if session not found when creating snapshot
• Modified realtime view to use computer name as initial sort criteria
• Changed domain dialog to set focus to OK button after successful Add
• Save authenticated domain list after initial startup.  Makes next startup as fast as possible.
• Modified subnet dialog to preload appropriate masks for private networks
• Widened remote install dialog
• Added version status reporting to relay.  Now shows version number in remote install dialog.
• Make viewer broadcast threads self deleting to prevent delay when closing net views.
• Added default message “ActivTrak started…” to agent so it will report back immediately after remote install even if no user activity

The ActivTrak Viewer can be used across a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection. That is, running the Viewer on a VPN client you can monitor activity on the server side of the connection.

You will need to install the ActivTrak Relay Service on the local network. It can be installed on the VPN server itself, or on another computer on the network.

The ActiveTrak Relay is a service that allows the ActivTrak Viewer to broadcast across subnet boundaries when UDP broadcast forwarding is not provided by the routers connecting the subnets.

If broadcast forwarding is turned off at the router, the ActivTrak Viewer will not be able to see Agents on subnets other than the local subnet, unless the Relay is installed on those subnets.

Installation

The ActivTrak Relay is simple to install, has no user interface, and can be deployed using the same remote installation feature used to install the ActiveTrak Agent. The .MSI file for the ActivTrak Relay is included in the Viewer package and is installed in the Program Files folder.

C:\Program Files\Birch Grove\ActivTrak Viewer\ActivTrakRelay.msi

It is best to install the Relay on a computer that will be running 24/7 and has a static IP address. It can be a domain server, a standalone server, or workstation. While it is only necessary to install the relay on one computer on the subnet, there is no problem using more than one computer as a relay.

Configuration
If your Viewer is on subnet A and you wish to observe Agents on subnet B, install the ActivTrak Relay Service on a subnet B computer. Then in the Viewer, when configuring subnet B for viewing, enter the address of the relay computer in the optional field.

ActivTrak is integrated with Screen Pass, the enhanced workstation locking system.

Screen Pass offers a number of advanced features to help administrators secure unattended workstations, including enforced screen saver settings, autologout, autoshutdown, true administrator override, enforcement of ADS logon hours and more. All Screen Pass settings can be centrally managed.

If Screen Pass is installed on a computer along with the ActivTrak agent, a number of Screen Pass commands are available from the ActivTrak viewer.

To invoke a Screen Pass remote control command, select a workstation in a Net View or Session Track window. Then right click or use the File pulldown to select from the available Screen Pass commands. Commands include lock, unlock, logoff, logoff with notice, power off, restart, and hibernate.

Settings must be in place on the remote workstation to allow remote control from ActivTrak. Commands can be enabled all together or individually.

We hope your ActivTrak usage is progressing well and wanted to alert you that there are new versions of the Agent and the Viewer available for download. In addition to some bug fixes the following new features are included:

• Screen Pass remote control for lock, unlock, logoff, shutdown
• Support for using the Viewer across a VPN connection
• Optional Viewer minimization to notification area, for use with alarms

You may download the new agent and viewer from:

http://activtrak.com/download/ActivTrakAgent.msi
http://activtrak.com/download/ActivTrakViewer.msi

Good news for Google fans!

We’ve built a new version of ActivTrak that works with Google Chrome browser. It tracks title of the browser window and all tabs opened. Please note that this build includes some additional features. Other improvements are:

• Support for SSL email alarms.
• Support for Windows “Home” editions.

Bug fixes:

• Alarm processing.
• Log Analysis calculations.
• Copy/Paste from Log Analysis.

You can download this new version of ActivTrack here.