Connecting with a Remote Desktop Gateway

A Remote Desktop Gateway allows authorized users to connect to the Planning Analytics remote desktop using both Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and HTTPS protocol.

HTTPS protocol provides encryption between your computer and the remote desktop. It uses port 443, which transmits data through a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) tunnel. This means that port 3389, the port used for Remote Desktop connections, is blocked to enhance network security.

Before you begin

Tip: Perform this task only if your Planning Analytics system is configured for a Remote Desktop Gateway. To find out which method your team uses to connect to the remote desktop, ask your Planning Analytics administrator. Alternatively, you can open the Welcome Kit and search for the following sentence:
The remote desktop connection is provided over HTTPS (port 443)
  • If this sentence appears in the Welcome Kit, your team connects through a Remote Desktop Gateway.
  • If this sentence does not appear in the Welcome Kit, your team connects using a direct Remote Desktop Connection.

About this task

When your team connects through a Remote Desktop Gateway, some Remote Desktop connection features are enabled by default. You can enable or disable certain connection features by sending a request to IBM Support. The following table lists features of the Remote Desktop Gateway, their default availability, and whether you can enable or disable the feature by contacting IBM Support.

Feature Default feature availability Can the feature availability be changed?
Clipboard (allows you to copy or paste files and text). Enabled Yes
Access to local drives. Enabled Yes
Printing to a local printer. Disabled Yes
Timeout after an idle session. 30 minutes No
Redirection using COM and LPT ports. Disabled No
Redirection using Plug and Play devices. Disabled No
Note: The same connection features are available to all users of the Remote Desktop Gateway, regardless of their user roles.

Procedure

  1. Start Remote Desktop Connection.
  2. Click Show Options.
  3. In the Connection settings section, click Open.
  4. Select the RDP file for your platform that was provided in your Welcome Kit zip file and click Open.
    Tip: The Welcome Kit zip file contains preconfigured RDP files for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. These RDP files are also available on the Planning Analytics remote desktop shared folder in \\data\s\install\Remote Desktop Services.
  5. Click Connect.
    Tip: If a message appears saying that the publisher of the remote connection can't be identified, click Connect.
  6. Enter your remote desktop system password.
    Tip: Your password is listed in the Welcome kit. If you don't know the password, ask your Planning Analytics administrator.

Results

If the connection is successful, the desktop of the IBM Planning Analytics system is displayed.

Tip: If the newer Windows Start menu desktop displays instead of the classic desktop view, click the Desktop icon or press the Windows logo key to toggle to the classic desktop view.

What to do next

After you connect to an IBM® Planning Analytics desktop session, you can run the hosted desktop applications and manage files in the shared folder.