Managing User Access Policies with UserLock

Different properties and option settings are available on the UserLock server to help manage user access within an organization. This is important when setting a customized access policy that reflects the needs for different groups and individuals that work within the organization.

The Server properties are accessed by right-clicking on the server name from the menu.

User Access Policy for multiple rule restrictions

The first option concerns the policy behaviour in case two different rules are applied to a same user. Switch it to the most or the least restrictive according to your needs. Remember that whatever policy is selected, a User Protected account always overrides a Group or Organizational Unit (OU) Protected accounts rules.

Ensuring Session Restrictions continue in the event of any Network Failure

The Sessions setting is defined to adjust in real time the rules in the event of any network failure, when all UserLock servers are unavailable. Checking this box enables a security process to force in real time the UserLock rules after a period during which they were disabled. A logoff notification will be displayed to users over one minute before closing the session.

Easily locate each machine

The Localization part allows you to tag machines with a building and room label.

‘Mask field’ is ideal if a naming convention is applied for your systems. Just enter your organization mask. When the mask is specified you will see the building name and the room number for all concerned computers in the ‘Agent distribution view’ or in ‘User session view’ (with view by machine enabled).

If you don’t use any naming convention for your machines, you can import a CSV file which contains the localization of your machines.

Time Quota Settings and Forced LogOff

Two Time Quota options must also be managed within the UserLock server properties.

If the first option is checked, the time that is not consumed when the quota period ends is automatically added to the authorized time of the next period.

The ‘Logoff notification timeout’ range determines the number of minutes during which the notification will be displayed to users when a quota is reached. Be advised that the logoff will be initiated after the number of minutes set here, except if users choose to launch it themselves.

E-mail Settings for Alerts and Notifications

The E-mail settings section allows you to define the SMTP server to use for the Protected Accounts notification.

The E-mail address used as sender must be valid. Please test your configuration before applying it.

UserLock License

The next section concerns the UserLock License. You will find your current serial and your maintenance status.

To register the license, copy and paste the licenses serial that is sent to you.

Database Settings for logging all logon and logoff Events

The logs section contains the Database settings for UserLock. If the top box is checked, every session event will be saved into the UserLock Database to conserve a history and to report on it.

The default database is a free MS Access file provided with the UserLock installation package.

You can set a SQL Server database from here by switching to ‘Other Database’ and launching the database connection Wizard.

Choose your SQL Server and an empty database you previously created. For a new empty database, don’t forget to create the tables the first time.

User Administration and Delegation

The last section ‘Security’ allows you to define which user accounts will be able to manage UserLock and what they will be allowed to do.

For example if you want to configure the access for your help desk team and allow it to reset/logoff user sessions, add the corresponding group and select Allow for User sessions. All other features in the both Windows and Web console will be disabled for this group.