Virtual desktop infrastructure options for Task Mining
You can install the Task Mining Client in a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment, or install it outside the VDI to capture information from the VDI, with limitations.
When you install the Task Mining Client software in a virtual desktop infrastructure environment, the client works and captures data as if the target application were running directly on the desktop. This setup is supported with the limitations listed in VDI environment limitations.
You can alternatively install the Task Mining Client software on a user's machine, so that it captures information from the remote desktop, but without being installed in the VDI. You can still capture screenshots in this setup, but data from within the VDI, such as which apps are used, is not available. Use software to connect the Task Mining Client to the VDI, such as:
Microsoft Remote Desktop clients
Citrix Workspace
Citrix Receiver
VMware Horizon Clients
This setup is supported with the limitations listed in VDI environment limitations.
VDI environment limitations
When you install the Task Mining Client software in a virtual desktop infrastructure environment, these limitations apply:
In a non-persistent VDI, the directories and registry keys listed in Required directories and registry keys for Task Mining must be persistent. If they are not persistent, the Task Mining Client software cannot store any state locally. This can lead to unexpected behavior such as information screens being shown repeatedly, changes to user settings not being saved (for example a proxy setting.) and data loss when events are captured in the parquet file. Screenshots might also not be uploaded if, for example, the internet connection temporarily fails. Additional limitations may also exist where folders/directories are not writeable.
In multi-session use, where multiple users connect to the same Windows instance in parallel, the optional browser extension cannot be used in parallel. Connection from the browser extension to the Task Mining Client software will either fail for all users beyond the first one, or as a worst case, the connections between users might be mixed.
When you install the Task Mining Client software on a user's machine outside the virtual desktop infrastructure environment, to capture information from a VDI, these limitations apply:
Metadata might be limited to fundamental data, such as the process name and window title of the client application (for example, window title Citrix Workspace).
Data from within the VDI, such as which apps are used, is not available. For example, attributes that are usually populated (see the schema documentation) will be empty, including the TargetElementName, most _UIAA fields, and all fields from a browser extension. You can capture screenshots of the VDI
Considerations before VDI rollout
Which environment should you use for Task Mining VDI? If not everyone in the current production environment is involved in the Task Mining project, we recommend creating a new environment for VDI; this will also provide a simple fallback mechanism if unforeseen issues arise and you need to rollback users. It may also speed up configuration changes and even deploy new releases of Task Mining and SAP GUI versions.
Is the VDI persistent (e.g., if you save local files, the next time you log-in, are those local files still there?)? Or can the persistent be achieved for specific folders?
Are changes durable if there are changes made to the Windows registry? For example, if an application is using the Windows registry and you make changes, are the changes durable? Or can those registry keys be made writable?
Is the VDI a full desktop or running virtualized applications? Is it a full Windows set-up?
Are browsers used in Citrix? Or is it just using a Microsoft Outlook desktop application? If a browser is used, which browser(s)?
Is the VDI a multi-session setup or single-session setup?
Tip
If you plan an automated centralized installation of the Task Mining Desktop Application, make sure that you can control which users get the software installed. If your VDI rollout contains more users than you target with Task Mining, decide if those additional users get Task Mining as well or if you change your setup. You should also roll out in stages, validating with a handful of users before performing a wider rollout.