Remote Access: Axeda Desktop Viewer Support
The new remote access functionality for the ThingWorx Platform supports the use of Axeda Desktop Viewer for remote sessions.
Background
The eMessage agents can run an application called Axeda Desktop Server (ADS) to support remote sessions with the asset where the agent is running. Users can connect to assets running ADS using the Axeda Desktop Viewer (ADV) whose version is compatible with that of the Axeda Desktop Server running on the asset. When a remote session is started, the agent sends up the version of the Desktop Server application that is running, in a Desktop Application Version (Dapv) message.
eMessage Connector Handling
The eMessage Connector handles the Dapv messages from the agents by translating them into invocations of the ProcessRemoteServerUpdate service on the Thing that represents the Axeda asset. The service parameters that are set by the Dapv message include the following:
• endpointName — The name of the endpoint in which the rest of the parameters are to be stored in the remoteServerConfiguration property on the platform. In the case of ADS, the endpoint name is AxedaDesktopServer.
• serverConfiguration.applicationName — The name of the application. For the eMessage Agents and users who want to use Axeda Desktop Viewer, this property should be set to AxedaDesktopServer, as shown in the sample configuration below.
• serverConfiguration.version — The version of Axeda Desktop Server (ADS).
• serverConfiguration.protocolVersion — The version of the protocol used by ADS.
• serverConfiguration.os — Possible values are Windows and Linux.
Here is an example of what a serverConfiguration for Axeda Desktop Server looks like after being set by a Dapv message from the agent:
|
endpointName
|
serverConfiguration
|
|
AxedaDesktopServer
|
{
"applicationName": "AxedaDesktopServer",
"version": "6.8.209",
"protocolVersion": "2",
"os": "Windows"
}
|
AxedaRemoteViewerManager Thing
The
AxedaRemoteViewerManager Thing is responsible for organizing the Axeda Desktop Viewer clients stored on an external site. This Thing maintains a cache of the viewer metadata from the remote site and provides a service to refresh that cache on
ThingStart, on direct refresh requests, or on a scheduled timer event. The event, called
RefreshCacheTimer, is triggered by the
AxedaRemoteViewerRefreshScheduler Thing. By default the timer event is scheduled to trigger daily at midnight. For information about changing the schedule, refer to
AxedaRemoteViewerRefreshScheduler Thing.
When a remote session is established, the Remote Access Client invokes a service on the Remote Access Subsystem to query for the remote viewer's configuration information. This viewer configuration allows the Remote Access Client to present an option to download the version of the Axeda Desktop Viewer that is compatible with the version of the Axeda Desktop Server that is running on the Axeda agent device being accessed. For details refer to
AxedaRemoteViewerManager Thing.
Remote Sessions
To run remote sessions with Axeda agent devices through ThingWorx, make sure that your Thing is set up to connect to your Axeda agent. Refer to
Using Axeda Desktop Viewer for Remote Sessions through ThingWorx for details.