V4 Update #8: Introducing Kayako OnSite – remote desktop application that integrates into the support desk

Welcome to the eighth in a series of Version 4 development updates and previews. Preview #7 looked at the new template and template group management features of V4.

In this preview, we will take a look at a brand new application we are introducing to the V4 product line – Kayako OnSite.

Kayako OnSite

Kayako OnSite is a remote control (remote desktop) application that integrates with your Kayako support desk. OnSite provides agents with a single-click way of interacting directly with a user’s PC. OnSite implements a full  VNC client, packaged with some very nifty connection technology to make the remote control experience seamless.

Your users and customers can be invited to initiate a remote OnSite session over live chat. This means that OnSite will feature in Kayako SupportSuite and Kayako LiveResponse – our two support desk solutions that ship with live chat functionality.

OnSite provides you with yet another way of interacting with your customers within your support desk. The benefits of being able to get stuck into your customer’s own environment are plenty and obvious: resolve issues quicker, explain instructions more clearly and work with your customers using on-screen demonstrations.

Feature overview

Instant remote control

There are three steps involved in setting up an OnSite session between an agent and a user. First, the agent invites the user (during a chat) to download a small executable file from the support desk’s web server.

This executable is packaged on-the-fly with all of the information necessary to connect the user to the agent. The user opens this executable and the automatic connection process starts. Once successfully connected, the remote control session begins immediately.

Automagical peer-to-peer connection negotiation to work around pesky router issues (no port forwarding needed!)

Users of basic VNC and RDP (remote desktop) tools will be painfully aware of the hassle of configuring routers to get remote connections set up. By default, OnSite doesn’t require any router configuration or port forwarding.

Two methods of connection are offered to the agent:  peer-to-peer and direct connection. Most agents will want to use peer-to-peer, which is the option that bypasses the need for any router tinkering.

If for some reason peer-to-peer is not an option, direct connect can be used. However, this option will require some router configuration.

For interested developers and nerds: the technology we have implemented in OnSite to facilitate the peer-to-peer connection is called NAT traversal. The user (A) and the agent (B) do not know each others IP addresses or open ports because they’re both behind routers. So, both A and B connect to a third-party server (S), provided by Kayako (or you can host your own). Server S then tells each party the IP and the port it sees for each party. Both parties then attempt to connect to each other on those end points. Most of the time and for the majority of routers, this will succeed. The only case where this will not work is where a router uses a random number generator to assign ports, which fortunately is rare.

Speed

VNC is incredibly fast. We have been testing Kayako OnSite on residential connections between the USA and Europe. The experience has been smooth, even when using high quality dsplay settings. If connection bandwidth or distance does become an issue, the color depth and screen size can be adjusted.

User friendly

Kayako OnSite is accessible even to novice computer users. In most cases the only thing your user will be asked to do is open the OnSite executable. OnSite will even attempt to automatically handle firewall prompts, so at not to alarm or confuse users.

File transfers

During a Kayako OnSite session, files can be transferred by the agents both ways (from the client to the agent and from the agent to the client).

An OnSite session through screenshots

When in a chat with a user, the agent clicks on the OnSite button to send a remote control invitation.

The agent can specify connection and session-specific options before the invitation is sent to the user.

The user is presented with the OnSite invitation in their chat window. Clicking on the link begins the download of the small (400KB) OnSite executable.

Once downloaded and started, the connection initiation begins immediately. At this point, the user’s desktop firewall may prompt the user to block or allow the connection attempt (but OnSite will try and handle these automatically).

The agent is told when the user has downloaded the executable and is shown the connection process dialogue.

The connection process will typically complete in no more than ten seconds. Once successful, the user’s application minimizes to the system tray. The user can cancel the session from this system tray icon, or by pressing CTRL+F1.

The agent is given a full-screen view of the user’s desktop, and has full control at this point. The agent can scale the screen size, adjust color options and specify other optimizations to make sure the interaction is smooth.

Unless disabled, the user is still able to use their mouse and override (or interfere) with the agent’s cursor control.

The agent’s chat console is kept up to date with OnSite events.

Supported platforms

Version 4 will ship with a Kayako OnSite client for Microsoft Windows. We do have plans to develop clients for other platforms in the future.

There is no such thing as a free lunch…

…unless lunch is on Kayako. Kayako OnSite will be free. No additional charges, no subscription fee. Kayako SupportSuite and Kayako LiveResponse V4 will ship with OnSite. We will also be open sourcing the entire OnSite application, and look forward to seeing what adaptations the Kayako developer community will make.

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Keeping this new application under wraps has made us insatiable! We know a lot of our customers have been pining for us to build a remote desktop tool, and we think we’ve got it right: an easy-to-use, feature rich remote desktop application and service fully integrated into your support desk.

As usual, we would love to hear your thoughts, ideas and requests on the community forum.