Implementation of WTware
Implementation of WTware
With the advent of remote work in our lives, familiar office spaces have undergone major changes. Many companies are implementing the so-called “flexible offices”, because individual workplaces for each employee are no longer so relevant. How to organize a comfortable sharing place, we tell from our own experience.
In pursuit of space optimization and resource saving, the main thing is not to forget about convenience and productivity. The task of the system administration team is to create a universal workplace, which can be used by any employee who comes to the office to connect to a remote desktop.
Requirements for the functionality of a universal workplace:
1) Ability to use different models of computers.
2) Ability to connect two monitors.
3) Ability to reserve two data centers.
4) Integration with MS Teams[НМР1] webcam and USB headset.
5) Minimum time for system maintenance.
In a short time, we were going to deploy a system of thin workstations for ease of administration, using equipment that was in stock.
And these are mostly obsolete system blocks. To solve the task, we chose the WTware product.
Having studied documentationwe started setting up. We started with drawing up a network diagram of the interaction of the components necessary for the work, since it is required to open access between the components.
The network connection diagram looks like this:
Next, we made a number of settings:
1) Network setup.
We created several VLANs for installing WTware client terminals – with their help, WTware terminal stations are divided into different groups. This need arose due to the use of different computer models and sometimes multiple monitors.
This helped reduce the burden on WTware administrators and the technical support department. For technical support specialists, we have prepared a memo listing the list of VLANs with a comparison of the computer model and the number of monitors.
To install a new terminal, you need to request a network port setting, switch the UEFI mode to Legacy Bios, and set network boot.
2) Set up DHCP to boot over HTTP.
In DHCP parameter 066, as usual, specify the IP address of the TFTP server.
In DHCP parameter 067, specify 5.4.24/wtware.http instead of the usual 5.4.24/wtware.pxe. Version 5.4.24 should be replaced with the version of wtware that should be loaded on the terminal.
For UEFI machines, in DHCP parameter 067, specify 5.4.24/http.efi instead of the usual 5.4.24/bootx64.efi. Version 5.4.24 should be replaced with the version of wtware that should be loaded on the terminal.
3) Download via HTTP.
We configure on the WTware management server.
Paths on the HTTP server
The default paths assume that there is a link at the root of the HTTP server wtware, which should refer to the wtware file structure: to “C:\Program Files (x86)\WTware\TFTPDROOT\” on Windows, or to the contents of the wtware directory from the .zip archive of the WTware distribution. For example, the following paths should work to download WTware version 5.4.24:
http://IP-адрес-HTTP-сервера/wtware/Everyone/all.wtchttp://IP-адрес-HTTP-сервера/wtware/5.4.24/packages/alsa
To link to a directory in Windows, from a Windows command prompt with Administrator rights, run:
mklink /D "C:\где-там-корень-у-IIS\wtware" "C:\Program Files (x86)\WTware\TFTPDROOT"It can be clearer: put FAR, press Alt-F6.
wtware has a lot of files without extensions in the packages directory. Microsoft IIS may refuse to serve files without extensions. You can specify “.” (dot) instead of the extension and create a MIME mapping.
Edit File wtware.http.cfg no needa file already in the distribution will do if the following conditions are met:
a. The HTTP server IP address is the same as the TFTP server IP address.
b. http://IP-адрес-HTTP-сервера/wtware/ points to the TFTP root, i.e. http://IP-адрес-HTTP-сервера/wtware/Everyone/all.wtc and http://IP-адрес-HTTP-сервера/wtware/5.4.24/packages/alsa. These are the correct paths to the corresponding files from the WTware distribution.
4) Disabling Del to enter terminal settings WTware works in BIOS and Legacy mode BIOS.
In UEFI, you won’t be able to disable the Del button, you need to transfer the bootloader to the Legasy mode BIOS.
To disable the terminal setup message when booting over the network, you need to edit the file: C:\Program Files (x86)\WTware\TFTPDROOT\6.0.36\wtware.http.cfg
in line:
boot ${wtware-url}/5.8.46/packages/kernel BOOT_IMAGE=${wtware-url}/5.8.46/packages/kernel no_setup quiet
add no_setup – disable Setup, remove the input on the del button at startup, hide_setup hide me Setup, however, if you press del while loading the terminal, you can go to the terminal settings.
5) For the webcam to work, it is necessary to configure a terminal server or a workstation to which the WTware terminal will be connected. In addition, you need a stable working local network with a speed of at least 100 Mbps, otherwise the image will freeze.
In the policies, we make the following settings: via the gpedit.msc console: disable the policy located in the following path:
Computer Local Policies -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Service -> Remote Desktop Session Host -> Device and Resource Redirection -> Do not allow supported plug and play device redirection -> Change to Disabled status .
6) Create a list of subnets. In the future, they will be used to separate terminals by types and configurations.
7) Let’s move on to editing the default template for WTware terminals. Further it will be used when adding new models or configurations of terminals.
Below I will describe the options that we have added to the default template.
a. For convenience, it is better to choose different background colors on the screens.
b. Specify the template by which the name for WTware terminals will be issued.
c. Enter the IP address of the WTware server where logs from WTware terminals will be sent.
d. Check the boxes to use additional graphical features (we do this, since the terminals are located on the internal network).
e. Specify the range of IP addresses from which you can connect via HTTP
to the WTware terminal to view the equipment connected to the terminal.
f. Select where to display the pop-up menu for the WTware terminal user, where you can view information about the WTware terminal. Check the “Add a restart button” checkbox so that the user can restart the terminal on their own.
g. Specify the IP range of computers from which you can send
to restart the WTware terminal.
h. On large monitors, we recommend that you enable the scale_factor parameter – 125.
i. Enable a splash screen with the company’s brand on the monitor of the WTware terminal. The splash screen file is prepared and loaded in advance.
j. Enable the ability to remotely connect to the WTware terminal via VNC, specify the IP range from which you can connect, and also specify what to do when connecting. We chose the option when the user must confirm the connection.
8) Set up the monitor, if necessary, connect a second monitor.
a. Specify video driver, screen resolution, video output port,
to which the monitor is connected.
b. To connect a second monitor, go to the Second Display tab. Set the checkbox “Use a second display”, “One RDP session on both screens”, specify the screen resolution and the video output port to which the monitor is connected.
c. Go to the Second Screen Position tab. Specify how you want to arrange the screens.
9) Let’s move on to creating a universal template for connecting to a terminal server or virtual desktop. We will use it when creating new WTware terminal stations.
a. Setting up USB-headset and WEB-camera. We connect via http to the WTware terminal, go to the “USB Bus” tab.
b. We see that a Microsoft Corp. USB headset is connected to the WTware terminal. LifeChat LX-3000 Headset and WEB camera Logitech, Inc. Webcam C270.
c. To configure the headset, return to the main menu and go to the Test sound tab.
d.
e. We look at the HW assigned to the USB headset and remember it. HW is required to set up a generic connection template. Please note that when switching the headset
to another USB port, the HW value will change.
f. To configure the WEB-camera, connect via http to the WTware terminal, go to the “USB Bus” tab, find out the USB ID of the camera that we will use. In our example ─ USB ID 046d: 0825, remember it. In the future, it will come in handy when setting up a universal configuration file. Please note that USB IDs vary between models.
g. We create a new template. Below are the main elements of the template that have been customized.
h. To connect a USB microphone, go to the “Microphone” menu, check the “Enabled” checkbox and specify the HWs that were previously viewed in the WTware terminal settings by connecting to it via http on the “Test sound” tab.
i. We connect USB headphones, go to the “Sound” menu, check the boxes, as noted in the figure, and indicate the HWs that were previously watched
in the settings of the WTware terminal, connecting to it via http on the Test sound tab.
j. We connect the USB camera, go to the USB menu, check the “Redirect” checkbox, select the USB ID and specify the USB ID that was previously viewed in the settings of the WTware terminal, connecting to it via http on the USB bus tab.
k. We configure the connection and specify the connection protocol, in our case ─ RDP, since users need to connect to different workstations. In the “Address” field, write: “new”. This will allow the user to manually enter the name of the computer to which they want to connect.
10) If you have two desktops, you will need to add a configuration file to switch between them, as in the figure below.
11) Below I will describe how we set up the fault tolerance process of WTware management servers.
a. After fully configuring the first server, we copied it to the second site and set up folder synchronization on the servers.
C:\ProgramData\WTware\Everyone
C:\ProgramData\WTware\Terminals
C:\ProgramData\WTware\Connections
b. Further, to switch to the backup server, specify the IP address of the backup server in the DHCP settings in 066 in the DHCP settings.
This completes the setup. It took us 3 weeks in total.
What we got:
As a result, we got a system that immediately solved several issues relevant to the company:
· We managed to optimize the use of office space and technical resources. The created workplace allows ten employees to connect without sacrificing productivity. In addition, it helped reduce the purchase of new machines.
· The absence of a permanent workplace enables each employee to choose independently where it is comfortable and convenient for him to work.
· Reduced the time of inoperability of places due to unification. In case of technical problems, the employee does not wait until his car is fixed,
but simply works at any free workplace.
· Ability to reuse decommissioned equipment. Morally obsolete computers that do not meet our technical requirements are perfect for organizing a workplace with a WTware terminal.
· The load on the workplace automation department has decreased, as the number of new workplaces organized and the number of peripheral devices used has decreased.
