Connection

To configure connection properties, select the Connection node and then go through each child node configuring their respective properties.

Primary connection

The primary connection always defaults to the primary RAS Secure Client Gateway, but you can modify the following connection properties:

1. Specify a friendly name for the connection.
2. Select the Auto start option to enable Parallels Client to connect automatically to a remote server.
3. In the Authentication type drop-down list, select the desired method of authentication:
   • Credentials. The user will have to enter credentials to log on.
   • Single Sign-On. This option will be included in the list only if the Single Sign-On module is installed during Parallels Client installation. The credentials that the user used to log on will be used to connect to the remote server.
   • Smart Card. Select this option to authenticate using a smart card. When connecting to the remote server, a user will need to insert a smart card into the card reader and then enter a PIN when prompted.

     Note: The allowed authentication type(s) must be specified in the RAS Console in Connection / Authentication.

4. Select or clear Save password as needed (if credentials are used for authentication). This means forcing a client to save the password for this connection.
5. Specify the domain name (if credentials are used for authentication).

Secondary Connection

If you have more than one RAS Secure Client Gateway, you can define a secondary connection, which will be used as a backup connection in case the primary gateway connection fails.

To add a secondary connection:

1. Select the Secondary connections item.
2. In the Secondary connections pane, click Tasks > Add and specify a server name or IP address.
3. Select the connection mode and modify the default port number if necessary.

If you have multiple secondary connections, you can move them up or down in the list. If the primary connection cannot be established, Parallels Client will use secondary connections in the order listed.

Reconnection

In this pane, specify what to do if the connection is dropped:

• Reconnect if connection is dropped. if this option is selected, Parallels Client will try to reconnect if the connection is dropped. The Connection retries property specifies the number of retries.
• Show connection banner if reconnection is not established within. Specifies the number of seconds after which the connection banner will be displayed in Parallels Client. This will inform the user that the connection was dropped and will allow them to take actions on their own.

Computer name

Specify the name that a computer will use during a remote desktop session. If set, this will override the default computer name. Any filtering set by the administrator on the server side will make use of the Override computer name setting.

Advanced settings

• Connection timeout. The Parallels Client connection timeout value.
• Show connection banner if connection is not established within. Specifies the number of seconds after which the connection banner will be displayed. This will inform the user that the connection cannot be established and will allow them to take actions on their own.
• Show desktop if published application does not start within. If a published application is not launched within the time period specified in this field, the host server desktop will be shown instead. This is helpful if an error occurs on the server side while launching an application. By showing the server desktop, the user can see the error message.

Session Prelaunch

When a user opens a remote application, a session must first be launched. Launching a session can take some time, which will result in the user waiting for the application to start. To improve user experience, a session can be launched ahead of time, before the user actually opens an application.

To enable session pre-launch, choose one of the following in the Mode drop-down list:

• Basic. A session is pre-launched as soon as the user gets the application listing. The assumption is, the user will open an application within the next few minutes. The session will stay active for 10 minutes. If the user doesn't open an application during that time, the client will disconnect from the session.
• Machine Learning. When the application listing is acquired, a session is pre-launched based on user habits. With this option enabled, Parallels Client will record and analyze the user habits of launching applications on a given day of the week. A session is started a few minutes before the user usually opens an application.

When a session is pre-launched, it will all happen in the background, so the user will not see any windows or message boxes on the screen. When the user starts an application, it will open as usual in its own window.

The Exclude sessions pre-launch list allows you to specify dates on which the pre-launch must not be used. Click on the plus-sign icon and select a date. The list can contain multiple entries.