Top 5 Features of SoftActivity TS Monitor You Should KnowSoftActivity TS Monitor is a remote employee monitoring solution designed for Windows Terminal Server (RDP/Citrix) and endpoint environments. It provides tools for user activity tracking, security auditing, and productivity analysis. Below are the top five features that make TS Monitor a compelling choice for IT administrators and managers who need visibility into user sessions on shared servers and workstations.
1. Real-time Session Monitoring and Live View
One of the strongest capabilities of SoftActivity TS Monitor is its real-time session monitoring. Administrators can view active user sessions across terminal servers or endpoints as they happen.
- Live screen viewing: See users’ desktops in real time to observe current activity.
- Session details: View username, client IP, session start time, and active window titles.
- Multi-server support: Monitor multiple terminal servers from a single dashboard.
This feature is useful for quickly detecting suspicious behavior, troubleshooting user issues, or providing immediate support without needing to remote into each workstation individually.
2. Session Recording and Playback
TS Monitor records user sessions, capturing screenshots or full-activity logs that can be replayed later.
- Continuous or interval screenshots: Configure recording frequency (for example, every few seconds).
- Video-like playback: Reconstruct user actions in chronological order for audits or investigations.
- Indexed search: Jump to relevant timeframes using timestamps and metadata.
Session recording is essential for compliance, incident investigations, and proving policy violations when written reports or screenshots are needed.
3. Application and Website Usage Tracking
SoftActivity tracks applications and websites used within monitored sessions, allowing detailed analysis of how time is spent.
- Application usage: Logs active applications, their window titles, and usage duration.
- Web activity: Tracks URLs and browser activity, with categorization for easier analysis.
- Custom rules: Configure which apps or sites are flagged or blocked.
This feature helps organizations understand productivity patterns, enforce acceptable use policies, and identify software or sites that may pose security risks.
4. Alerts, Policies, and Automated Actions
TS Monitor includes alerting and policy enforcement mechanisms to notify admins or take automated actions when certain conditions occur.
- Real-time alerts: Trigger alerts on keywords, access to restricted sites, or use of prohibited apps.
- Keyword monitoring: Scan typed text and visited pages for specified keywords or phrases.
- Automated responses: Configure notifications by email, pop-up messages to the user, or admin logging for follow-up.
These capabilities allow proactive response to policy violations, data leakage risks, or insider threat indicators without continuous manual oversight.
5. Reports, Analytics, and Compliance Tools
Comprehensive reporting and analytics help turn raw monitoring data into actionable insights.
- Pre-built and custom reports: Generate productivity reports, usage summaries, and security incident logs.
- Export formats: Produce CSV, PDF, and other exports for management review or archiving.
- Audit trails: Maintain logs suitable for compliance with internal policies or external regulations.
Reporting makes it easier to measure employee productivity, justify staffing and licensing decisions, and maintain records for compliance or legal needs.
Deployment, Privacy, and Best Practices
Deploying SoftActivity TS Monitor typically involves installing server and agent components on terminal servers and endpoints. Best practices include:
- Clear policy and consent: Inform employees of monitoring policies and obtain required consents to align with local laws.
- Least-privilege access: Restrict admin access to monitoring data and keep audit logs of who viewed recordings.
- Data retention policies: Set retention periods that balance investigative needs and privacy/regulatory requirements.
- Use alerts judiciously: Tune keyword lists and alert thresholds to minimize false positives and alert fatigue.
Summary
SoftActivity TS Monitor offers robust tools for real-time monitoring, session recording, application and web tracking, alerting, and reporting—features that support security, compliance, and productivity management in terminal server and endpoint environments. When deployed with clear policies and appropriate protections, it can provide the visibility organizations need while reducing risk and improving operational oversight.
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