Configure RDP-based deployment for multi-user devices - Configure a registered device to support concurrent unattended Bot Runner sessions using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), set the screen resolution and connection timeout, and optionally prevent clipboard data from being shared between sessions.

Automation 360

Configure a registered device to support concurrent unattended Bot Runner sessions using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), set the screen resolution and connection timeout, and optionally prevent clipboard data from being shared between sessions.

Before you begin

Ensure that you are logged in to the Control Room as the administrator.

Ensure the following requirements are completed:
  • Active Directory Domain Services are set up (Optional).
  • Remote Desktop Services (RDS) are set up on the machine ready to host multiple RDS Bot Runner sessions (Mandatory).
  • Active Directory/Local users are created (Mandatory).
  • Users are provided access to RDS (Mandatory).

About this task

When you register a device in the Control Room, you can designate it as a multi-user device to support multiple concurrent unattended Bot Runner sessions through RDP. Complete the following steps to change the device type, configure the RDP port and session timeout, and optionally prevent clipboard data from being shared between sessions.

Procedure

  1. Change the device type to multiple users.
    1. Navigate to Manage > Devices.
    2. Select the vertical ellipsis icon to the right of the device name and select Edit device.
    3. Under the Deployment tab, change Device type to Multiple users.
    4. Enter a value in the Concurrent sessions supported field.
      The maximum number of allowed concurrent sessions depends on your device license type and the hardware configuration. For example, if concurrent sessions is set to 10 and each bot requires 4 GB RAM for execution, and your system RAM is lower than that total, the bot execution might fail.

      Also, if the maximum sessions allowed on the device is 10 and the multi-user device is set as the default device for 3 Bot Creator users and 2 attended Bot Runner users, the value for concurrent sessions supported is 5. At any one time, only 5 bots can be deployed concurrently by the unattended Bot Runner users. Ensure your hardware and device license type support the number of sessions you set.

    5. Select Save changes.
      The device record is updated. The Deployment column for the device now shows Multiple users.
  2. Set the RDP screen resolution.
    Setting a consistent screen resolution ensures automations run without display issues during RDP-based deployment, even if the resolution differs between the Bot Runner device and the Control Room.

    You can set it in the following ways:

  3. Configure the RDP settings.
    1. Select Administration > Settings > Devices.
    2. In the RDP settings for multiple user devices section, select Edit.
    3. Enter a value in the Port field.
      Note: The default RDP port is 3389. Change this value only if your network uses a non-standard RDP port.
    4. Enter the RDP session timeout value.
      The Bot Agent on the target device attempts to create a self RDP session for each unattended deployment. RDP session timeout is the maximum time the Bot Agent waits to establish this session before the connection times out.

      The default session timeout value is 60 seconds.

      Note: Control Room administrators can enforce a global RDP session timeout. This setting overrides any other RDP related session timeout values (including the legal disclaimer screen timeout or timeout option - set in RDP command options (Advanced options) that users configure on their own device.

      For example, if the administrator sets the RDP session timeout to 120 seconds, both the wfreerdp connection attempt and any legal disclaimer handling in progress are stopped after 120 seconds — even if a larger timeout: value (such as 180 seconds) is set in RDP command options, or the legal disclaimer handling was configured to allow more time.

    5. Select Save changes.
      The RDP port and session timeout settings are saved and applied to all unattended Bot Runner sessions on this device.
  4. Prevent clipboard data from being shared across RDP sessions.
    By default, clipboard data is shared across all RDP sessions on a multi-user device. Disabling this prevents unintended data access between concurrent bot executions.
    1. Select Administration > Settings > Devices.
    2. Select Edit in the Advanced options section.
    3. In the RDP command options field, enter -clipboard.
      The RDP command options field accepts additional RDP command-line flags, for example, flags for port overrides or display settings.
      Note: Starting from Automation 360 v.38, ensure that you use /clipboard:direction-to:off to disable the shared clipboard.
    4. Select Save changes.
      Clipboard data is no longer shared across concurrent RDP sessions on this device.

For troubleshooting information about black screen and lock screen issues during RDP deployment, see:

What to do next

  1. Create users in the Control Room.

    These users can be unattended Bot Runners, attended Bot Runners, or Bot Creators. You can select the multi-user option when you register the device for the first time. See Create a Windows device user.

  2. Associate the correct device and session login credentials based on the Active Directory users you created before configuring the multi-user device settings.

    You can register an Active Directory user one time as an admin user; sessions are created automatically when you deploy bots. You do not need to create an RDP session on the Bot Runners server or register the device under an Active Directory username and credentials.

  3. Deploy bots on parallel sessions.
    Note: If the concurrent sessions count set for the multi-user device is less than the number of bot deployments requested, the additional deployments are queued until capacity is available.