IT support is constantly being refined and reinvented by new technologies. For instance, chatbots have quickly become an important, even essential, feature of modern IT service desks. Chatbots help organizations better scale support by serving as the first line of contact for a request. Sometimes, chatbots can tap into deeper resources of information and even resolve a customer issue at the point of initial contact. Of course, IT is supporting more types of platforms, types, and diverse use cases than ever—so they need tools that work seamlessly across Windows, Unix, Linux, macOS, Android, and much more. And, since IT support sessions often require remote controlling into end-user devices or corporate systems, privileged access is in play and needs to be robustly controlled and audited. Managing privileged credentials and access is a sometimes overlooked, but absolutely essential piece of IT support services for any enterprise (and it should be every) that cares about security and compliance.
With all that said, BeyondTrust is pleased to announce the availability of version 20.1 of our leading Remote Support solution. This new version enhances performance across the entire service desk with deeper chatbot integration, more scalable privileged credential management, and broader, more seamless platform support, to name just a few highlights of this latest release. Please read on for a brief round-up of what’s new and improved with Remote Support version 20.1. For more information, you can also check out the release notes.
Chatbot Integration
Bring your own Chatbot! In this release we have created new API’s to be used for handling inbound chat handoff and chat history from the bot. These new API’s will allow for a seamless handoff between the solutions. This can eliminate overlapping steps in customer support process, such as the frustrating customer experience of having to provide details on the issue multiple times. This integration can expedite time-to-resolution of support tickets, while also freeing up time for support agents, allowing service desks to better scale support.
Linux Jumpoint
BeyondTrust Jump Technology enables privileged users to connect to an unattended remote system to start a session—without end-user assistance. Dependent upon the representative’s permissions, the user may access any computer on their LAN/VPN or on a network with a Jump Point agent. In this release, we are introducing Jumpoint support for Linux installs. In the past our Jumpoint technology could only be deployed on Windows-based OS’s. This former requirement complicated licensing by having to deploy a Windows-based operating system in more Linux-centric deployments.
Chrome Browser sharing
In this release, we have added the ability to allow for view-only screen sharing through click-to-chat sessions, without a client download. This allows for enhanced support on the Chromebook, and applies to all Chrome browser click-to-chat sessions, improving support outcomes and the customer experience. This feature helps with the transition of not needing to download a client for basic co-browse use cases.
BeyondTrust Vault – Scheduled Rotation
The Remote Support Vault has been enhanced to include a simple and efficient method to rotate user-selected groups of credentials or all Vault credentials at one time, making it simpler for our customers to manage large numbers of credentials with Vault, while also obviating time-consuming manual rotation. We have also added a new functionality that allows a user to Associate Credentials to an Endpoint. Customers need a better way for local accounts and specific accounts to only be associated to that Windows endpoint. This latest release provides the ability to add a credential to a discovered endpoint.
TLS1.3 (Transportation Layer Security)
TLS provides secure communication between web browsers and servers. The connection itself is secured by symmetric cryptography that encrypts the data transmitted. The keys are uniquely generated for each connection and are based on a shared secret negotiated at the beginning of the session. TLS protocol aims primarily to provide privacy and data integrity between two or more communicating computer applications. In this release, we have integrated the newest version of the encryption standards for TLS.
Outbound Proxy Support
Proxy servers act as a firewall and web filter, provide shared network connections, and cache data to speed up common requests. Proxy servers can provide a high level of privacy and security for the user’s network. In this release, we have added the ability to use a proxy to send outbound events to a single destination instead of needing to open communication to other applications directly. This new feature allows admins to control the dataflow for the information they are sending off the appliance. In this release, this security function on the appliance is only applicable for outbound events and API’s.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) for the Android Representative Console
The Android Representative Console has been improved for deployment through Mobile Device Management solutions, such as Microsoft Intune. The Remote Support site URL can be pre-configured when deployed through a MDM. Your Representatives no longer need to type the URL when access is required. In addition, the Remote Support site URL can be set as read-only so that your Representatives can only connect to your appliance.
Taking Your Service Desk to the Next Level with BeyondTrust Remote Support
BeyondTrust Remote Support enables help desk teams to rapidly and securely access and troubleshoot any remote device, across any platform, located anywhere in the world—all via a single solution. The new features in version 20.1 expand what’s already possible with our solution, helping you empower, protect, and scale your service desk.
If you are already a customer, here’s how to get started with version 20.1: https://www.beyondtrust.com/docs/remote-support/getting-started/deployment/web/support-updates.htm
If you’re ready to experience the most secure and comprehensive solution for all your remote support needs? Contact us today!
Julissa Caraballo, Product Marketing Manager
Julissa Caraballo is a Product Marketing Manager at BeyondTrust. She has over 10 years of experience in software product marketing and lead generation. Previously, Julissa worked as a Marketing Director for a medical management software company. She holds a BA in Business Administration/Marketing and a MBA in Healthcare Management. Her certifications include, Certified Digital Marketing Manager, Pragmatic Marketing Certified and Certified Medical Practice Executive. She can be found on LinkedIn and all social media platforms.
