Microsoft DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant

The Microsoft DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant (DCA) will help organizations reduce the cost of supporting DirectAccess users and significantly improve their connectivity experience.

This Solution Accelerator is part of the Windows Optimized Desktop Toolkit 2010 (WODT 2010).

DCA informs mobile users of their connectivity status at all times; provides tools to help them reconnect on their own if problems arise; and creates diagnostics to help mobile users provide IT staff with key information if necessary—all to help customers operate with more efficiency, and at a lower cost.

DCA is the newest addition to the Windows Optimized Desktop Toolkit 2010, which is designed to help IT pros plan, deliver, and operate the right desktop technologies for users across their organization.

The download includes the following components:

· Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant.zip · Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_x32.msi · Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_x64.msi · Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_DeploymentGuide.docx · Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_Release_Notes.en.htm · DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant GP.admx · DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant GP.adml

DCA 2.0 RC provides the following functionality:

· Provides DirectAccess users with connectivity information. Users can view their DirectAccess connectivity status at all times. · Provides diagnostics and troubleshooting features. DCA 2.0 RC provides tools to help users reconnect if problems arise, and create diagnostics to provide IT administrators with troubleshooting information. · Supports one-time password (OTP) authentication for DirectAccess users required to authenticate using OTP.

Note: DCA 2.0 RC can be installed on Windows 7 computers that connect to the corporate network using DirectAccess running on a Windows Server 2012 RC computer. It can be installed on Windows 7 computers that do not have DCA installed, or on computers running DCA 1.0 or DCA 1.5. DCA 2.0 RC should not be installed on computers running Windows 8 Consumer Preview. It should also not be installed on Windows 7 computers that connect to the corporate network using DirectAccess running on a Windows Server 2008 R2 computer or on a Forefront UAG server

The download includes the following components:

· A zip file (DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC.zip) containing a collection of all the files in this download. · GPO templates (DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC_GP.adml; DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC_GP.admx) for configuring DCA settings on client computers. · Installation files (DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC_x64.msi; DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC_x86.msi) required to install the application on 64-bit or 32-bit client computers. · An administrators guide (DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC_AdminGuide.docx) that describes how to configure the GPO templates, and install the application. · A user guide (DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_2_0_RC_UserGuide.docx) that can be distributed to client computers running DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant (DCA) 2.0 RC.