Remote Assistance

Windows XP enables you to provide support for users at remote locations whose computers are running Windows XP Professional through the Remote Assistance feature. A user can initiate a Remote Assistance session by sending an invitation through MSN Messenger, as an e-mail message attachment, or in a file. When you accept the invitation, a connection is automatically established to the user's remote desktop. Remote Assistance connections rely on MSN Messenger. Specifically, the features that are available within the Remote Assistance framework include viewing and taking control of a user's remote desktop, using instant messaging, and sending files. To reduce your involvement in supporting the sales representatives, you can create a text file that contains the answers to the most frequently asked questions, and you can send the file during Remote Assistance sessions, when appropriate.

The scenario does not stipulate whether the sales representatives are able to connect to the corporate LAN when they are at customer sites. Even if they were able to connect to your LAN over the Internet, they would be required to browse to the shared folder in which the file resides. With Remote Assistance, you can make the file available to the users as soon as you establish a connection and determine that the file would be useful to them. The scenario also does not stipulate whether the sales representatives have access to e-mail services while they are out of the office. Therefore, you may not be able to send the file as an e-mail attachment to these users. The Whiteboard feature in MSN Messenger is a drawing application. Using this feature during a Remote Assistance connection would probably not reduce the amount of time that you spend responding to technical support calls from the sales representatives.

References:

WXPRK, Contents, "Part VII Appendices," "Appendix D Tools for Troubleshooting," "Remote Management Tools," "Remote Assistance."

TechNet, Search, "Step-by-Step Guide to Remote Assistance," "Maintain."