Connection Manager features

Article
10/08/2009

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Connection Manager features

Connection Manager 1.3 provides support for local and remote connections to your service using a network of access points, such as those available worldwide through Internet service providers (ISPs). If your service requires secure connections over the Internet, you can use Connection Manager to establish virtual private network (VPN) connections to your service. Following are some of the features supported by Connection Manager 1.3.

New features of Connection Manager 1.3

Connection Manager provides the following new features:

VPN server selection If you include a VPN file and configure VPN entries, your users will be able to choose what VPN server to use when making a connection.
Log files Log files for a connection can be created, cleared, and viewed by the user.
Favorites Users can define the properties of a connection, save these settings for future use, and pick the favorite to use from the Connection Manager user interface. For example, a user can configure location properties and dialing rules for connecting to the office from home and from a frequent business travel location, and then the user can choose between these two sets of settings when connecting.
Provide user name and password for the service profile An administrator can pre-populate the User Name and Password fields of a Connection Manager profile for first-time or permanent use.
Terminal windows Connection Manager 1.3 supports the use of a terminal window on all supported platforms except Windows NT 4.0.
Network Access Quarantine Control Formerly a feature installed through the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools, the Remote Access Quarantine Server (RQS) and Remote Access Quarantine Client (RQC) components are available as part of Windows Server 2003 operating systems with Service Pack 1 installed. RQC is available as a pre-defined custom action in the Connection Manager Administration Kit wizard, although you will have to customize it to meet the needs of your individual network. For more information about Network Access Quarantine Control, see Related Topics.

General connection support

Connection Manager supports a variety of features that both simplify and enhance implementation of connection support for you and your users. Most of these features can be incorporated using the Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK) wizard:

Feature	Support
Routing table updates	You can reconfigure user routing tables in order to better manage your network traffic and security.
Automatic proxy configuration	You can configure user proxy settings to ensure that the user has appropriate access to internal and external resources while connected to your service.
Branding	You can customize the graphics, icons, messages, Help, and phone book support in Connection Manager to provide an identity and support that are unique to your service or corporation. You can include custom logos, customer support, and phone book information to identify and represent your company.
Custom actions and monitored applications	You can incorporate custom functionality, including your own programs to enhance the connection experience for your users. These programs can be automatically run at various points during the connection process, such as when users log on or disconnect. Connection Manager also supports pre-connect and pre-tunnel actions. And you can set up monitored applications to automatically disconnect after the program ends.
Multiple user support for each service profile	You can provide support for users who share computers. User profiles allow two or more people to use the same computer and the same service profile. Credentials are maintained, based on the logon ID of the user, so users do not have to re-enter them for each connection.
Simplified distribution	Using the CMAK wizard to automatically build your service profile (the customized software required for your users to run Connection Manager), you create a self-installing executable file that can be distributed on compact disc or downloaded by your users.
Custom phone books	You can specify the phone books to be provided to your users. You can download your phone book to users and provide automatic phone book updates when your users log on. And to simplify maintenance, you can combine existing phone books by merging existing service profiles.

VPN connection support

In addition to the support for basic dial-up connections, you can also use the CMAK wizard to incorporate support for VPN connections using a tunneling protocol to tunnel through a public network (such as when dialing into an ISP to access a corporate server). Connection Manager can create a VPN connection through a pre-existing dial-up session, local area network (LAN), or digital subscriber line (DSL).

Feature	Support
VPN server selection	You can allow your users to choose a VPN server to use when connecting to your service.
Direct connections	If you specify support for VPN, you can provide support for direct connections (sometimes referred to as always on or persistent connections). Support for direct connections includes support for cable, asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSLs), and other types of direct connections.
Protocols	You can specify whether or not to support VPN, which enables your users to connect to your service using Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) or, if running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a member of the Windows Server 2003 family, Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) with IPSec encryption as the tunneling protocol. These protocols enable improved security for direct and dial-up connections.

Note

You must build profiles on a server operating system that is designed for the same processor set as the client computers on which users will install the profile. For example, if you want to build a profile for users running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, you must build that profile on a server that is running an x64-based version of Windows Server 2003.

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Connection Manager features