Management Services for Administrators

In addition to the end-user services, administrators can also use the additional services provided by the ActivID management products.

Installation and Deployment

The ActivClient setup uses MSI (Microsoft Windows Installer) technology, as well as advanced capabilities to facilitate product installation in large deployments. Administrators can:

• Predefine user options and customize the master installation image.

• Customize the setup, such as make it silent (all options are already configured, no further intervention is required).

• Customize the configuration and choose options through Microsoft Transform files (MST) by using standard msiexec.exe Windows Installer command line options.

• Configure CA certificate installation during ActivClient installation.

ActivClient can be deployed using software deployment technology:

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 1802

• Microsoft Active Directory push (with Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, and 2022)

ActivClient also provides software Auto-Update feature that allows administrators without software deployment technology to automatically install ActivClient software updates.

Upgrading

You can upgrade to ActivClient 7.4.1 from versions 7.1 or later.

Policy Management

ActivClient offers a wide range of policies enabling organizations to optimize ActivClient to meet their usability and security requirements.

These policies can be:

• Managed centrally from Active Directory using Administrative Templates and Group Policies.

• Managed locally using Administrative Templates.

• Viewed locally using the Microsoft Resultant Set of Policy console, accessed from the ActivClient User Console.

Smart Card Automatic Registration

Without any product update, ActivClient supports new types of smart cards that are PIV-compliant (including DoD CAC).

Branding

The User Console can be customized with customer-specific graphics.

Notifications

ActivClient displays notification messages to help resolve common issues:

• The ‘No Smart Card Reader’ notification message is displayed above the Windows notification area at logon when there is no smart card reader connected to the PC or if it is inadvertently unplugged.

• The ‘Unattended Smart Card’ notification is an audio notification to remind users to take their smart card with them when leaving the workstation. It is triggered only if the smart card has not been removed from the smart card reader and if users attempt to:

  • Log off

  • Lock the workstation

  • Shutdown the workstation

  • Restart the workstation

  You can customize the notification by configuring the sound file (.wav) (for example, a voice message or custom music). By default, the audio notification is three beeps.

• The Expiration Warning message notifies users that their smart card or one of their smart card certificates has expired or will expire soon. It is displayed at:

  • Smart card insertion

  • Start of the user session if the smart card is inserted when logging on

• The ActivClient tools and notification features have been adapted to the new Microsoft Windows 'modern' interface available on Microsoft Windows 8 and later.

  • The ActivClient Agent and tools are displayed as tiles in the Start page.

  • ActivClient notifications are displayed as 'toast' notifications, sliding in from the top right corner of the interface. They are visible for 24 seconds before they disappear.

  • Some operations require that you manually switch to the Desktop, by clicking on the Desktop tile, in order to access the necessary window or tool (for example, Initialize Smart Card).