Getting started

The TS Agent transparent authentication method is intended for multi-user authentication in VDIs (Virtual Desktop Infrastructures).

This method relies on exchanges between a dedicated service on the SNS firewall (TSD service) and TS Agents deployed on Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops or Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS).

Every user that authenticates with the server's IP address is identified by the firewall with a dedicated source network port range that the TS Agent assigns.

NOTE
In this document:

Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops servers are referred to as "Citrix servers",
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services servers are referred to as "RDS servers",
SN TS Agent is now "TS Agent".

Click on the links below for more information on:

Date	Description
March 18, 2025	Addition of three limitations and explanations on usage in the section "Specifications and limitations" Addition of explanations regarding the selection of the port and pre-shared key in the section "Configuring the TS Agent authentication method on the firewall > Creating TS Agents" Content relating to the installation and update of the TS Agent now has its own separate section in the document Addition of the procedure for updating the TS Agent from a 1.0.3 or lower version in the section "Updating the TS Agent" Changes to procedures to install and manually update the TS Agent with regard to restarting the server and the configuration of ports that are reserved for system operations in the section "Installing or updating the TS Agent" Addition of the ReservedPortAction parameter, and changes to the description of the parameters ExhaustedPortAction, PortsPerRange, RangePerUser, ReservedSystemPorts, TcpTimedWaitDelay, TotalPortsRangeLow, TotalPortsRangeHigh, EphemeralPortMin and EphemeralPortMax in the section "Identifying/editing TS Agent operating settings" Content relating to the monitoring of users who have connected through TS Agents now has its own separate section in the document Changes to the procedure for looking up the TS Agent's driver logs in the section "Monitoring the TS Agent on the RDS/Citrix server" Addition of the scenario in which the RDS/Citrix server restarts while users are connected in the "Troubleshooting" section Addition of the appendix "Using script to configure ports that are reserved for system operations"
October 30, 2023	New document

Date

Description

March 18, 2025

Addition of three limitations and explanations on usage in the section "Specifications and limitations"
Addition of explanations regarding the selection of the port and pre-shared key in the section "Configuring the TS Agent authentication method on the firewall > Creating TS Agents"
Content relating to the installation and update of the TS Agent now has its own separate section in the document
Addition of the procedure for updating the TS Agent from a 1.0.3 or lower version in the section "Updating the TS Agent"
Changes to procedures to install and manually update the TS Agent with regard to restarting the server and the configuration of ports that are reserved for system operations in the section "Installing or updating the TS Agent"
Addition of the ReservedPortAction parameter, and changes to the description of the parameters ExhaustedPortAction, PortsPerRange, RangePerUser, ReservedSystemPorts, TcpTimedWaitDelay, TotalPortsRangeLow, TotalPortsRangeHigh, EphemeralPortMin and EphemeralPortMax in the section "Identifying/editing TS Agent operating settings"
Content relating to the monitoring of users who have connected through TS Agents now has its own separate section in the document
Changes to the procedure for looking up the TS Agent's driver logs in the section "Monitoring the TS Agent on the RDS/Citrix server"
Addition of the scenario in which the RDS/Citrix server restarts while users are connected in the "Troubleshooting" section
Addition of the appendix "Using script to configure ports that are reserved for system operations"

October 30, 2023

New document