Our latest ControlUp Community Meetup recording is live. Shay Dezaldety breaks down the ControlUp AI Assistant: how it picks the right tools and data from your environment, how RBAC and approval gates keep admins in control, and a live demo troubleshooting poor digital experience, memory and Wi-Fi issues, and BSOD remediation. Copilot, not autopilot.
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ControlUp Insights Related Training & Support Archives
ControlUp Insights training and support-related archives from inside the ControlUp Community on Slack.
How to Monitor Hyper-V Hosts in ControlUp After Migrating from ESX
When transitioning from VMware ESX to a Hyper-V environment for Citrix, monitoring Hyper-V hosts through the ControlUp Management Console requires a different setup than for ESX hosts. Unlike ESX, which can be monitored directly once properly connected, Hyper-V monitoring in ControlUp necessitates deploying the ControlUp agent on each Hyper-V host. This agent installation allows ControlUp to gather detailed performance and health data from the Hyper-V hypervisors.
A common issue encountered during this transition is that ControlUp might mistakenly identify a few virtual machines as Hyper-V hosts instead of the actual hypervisor servers. This usually happens if the agents are not installed on the Hyper-V hosts themselves, or if the connection configuration is not correctly set up for Hyper-V clusters. Therefore, simply having the hypervisor hosts visible in the environment without the agent does not provide full monitoring capabilities.
To properly monitor Hyper-V clusters with ControlUp, administrators should follow the official guidance for connecting to Hyper-V hypervisors. The key step is to deploy the ControlUp agent on every Hyper-V host within the clusters. This enables comprehensive visibility into the hypervisor layer similar to what was available for ESX hosts. Detailed instructions and best practices for this process can be found in the ControlUp documentation at https://support.controlup.com/docs/connect-to-your-hypervisors#connect-a-hyperv-hypervisor.
In summary, migrating from ESX to Hyper-V environments requires deploying the ControlUp agent on Hyper-V hosts to achieve effective hypervisor monitoring. Proper identification of Hyper-V hosts and cluster setup within ControlUp hinges on this agent deployment, ensuring accurate and actionable insights for Citrix environments running on Hyper-V.
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Troubleshooting AI Query Errors for Connection Failure Metrics and Using ControlUp Dashboards as an Alternative
A user encountered difficulties querying connection failure data within a specified time range using the ControlUp AI assistant. Despite attempting a straightforward query to count connection failures during a certain period, the AI repeatedly generated errors instead of delivering the requested information. This issue highlighted limitations or temporary glitches in the AI interface for composing complex filter criteria involving time intervals.
Upon reporting the problem to the ControlUp support team, it was acknowledged as potentially related to recent network issues, which may have contributed to the AI malfunction on the previous day. The team requested formal feedback submission to investigate the problem further and verify if it could be reliably reproduced under similar conditions.
In the meantime, a practical alternative was suggested from within the community: a pre-built Citrix connection failures dashboard created by a peer user. This dashboard presents connection failure metrics in an organized and visually accessible format, allowing administrators to monitor relevant data without relying solely on raw AI-driven queries. Such dashboards provide easier insights into connection issues and can be a more reliable solution for identifying failure trends over time.
For users experiencing similar problems with AI query errors related to connection failure data, exploring the ControlUp dashboard options is recommended as an effective workaround. Additionally, reporting such AI issues to ControlUp support ensures ongoing improvement of AI capabilities for querying monitoring data. More information on creating and customizing monitoring dashboards can be found in the ControlUp Knowledge Base at https://docs.controlup.com and tutorials at the ControlUp Academy https://cuacademy.controlup.com.
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Widget Wednesday #25: Building Dashboard Widgets with Audit Log Data
This week’s Widget Wednesday introduces a new data source for ControlUp Dashboards: the Audit Log.
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How to Auto Log Off Idle Users in Azure Virtual Desktop Using ControlUp Triggers and Scripts
Several ControlUp community members discussed how to configure a trigger to automatically log off idle users from Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using the ControlUp Agent for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). One common solution is to leverage existing trigger packs within ControlUp, which include triggers designed to log off a user session after a specified period of inactivity. These triggers can be customized based on time thresholds that fit the organization’s session management policies.
An example script and detailed guidance were shared from ControlUp’s official script library, which provides automation for disconnecting or logging off idle sessions. This script can be adapted and deployed within ControlUp's automation policies to monitor session activity and log off users automatically when idle thresholds are met. The relevant resource is available at https://www.controlup.com/script-library-posts/disconnect-or-log-off-idle-sessions/.
Additional insights were shared from a ControlUp blog post that focuses on session resource optimization through automation. This post outlines best practices and practical examples of using ControlUp automation to manage session states efficiently, including auto-logout for idle sessions. The blog can be found here: https://www.controlup.com/blog/controlup-automation-session-resource-optimization/.
While native solutions like DaaS IQ might offer built-in functionality for auto-logging off idle users, many organizations have adopted ControlUp triggers as a practical workaround until formal approval or integration of native options is completed. The combination of ControlUp’s flexible triggers and scripting capabilities allows administrators to enforce session timeout policies effectively within AVD environments, optimizing resource utilization and enhancing security.
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How to Calculate Time Saved from Automation Runs in ControlUp Dashboards Using Calculated Metrics
A user sought to create insights on time saved through automations by modifying the existing scripting and automation dashboard in ControlUp. Their goal was to add a calculated column that multiplies the number of successful script runs by a fixed value (such as 5 or 10) to estimate the total minutes saved. The user attempted to apply a mathematical transformation—specifically multiplying the "success-runs" metric by 10—via the dashboard's JSON transformation editor. However, they encountered difficulties as the table widget was built using the advanced JSON builder, which does not support switching to the basic editor mode where simple calculated columns can be added or modified directly.
ControlUp's community and support experts explained that the particular widget in question is created through the advanced JSON editor and does not support adding custom calculated columns directly on individual tables. The system currently does not allow adding a calculated column that multiplies existing columns in the advanced editor since it applies transformations to each column rather than enabling column-to-column calculations.
A recommended workaround is to use the associated "stat" widget found elsewhere on the same dashboard. This widget provides basic aggregated metrics and allows users to add simple calculations, such as multiplying the total number of successful script runs by a fixed number to calculate total time saved. By performing the multiplication in the stat widget rather than modifying the complex JSON table, users can achieve their insight goal effectively.
This limitation highlights that for advanced dashboards created via JSON editing in ControlUp, calculated columns that depend on arithmetic of existing columns must be created through simpler widgets or by recalculating the data outside the table visualization. Users aiming to customize time-saving metrics based on script run counts should consider leveraging stat widgets or other summary-level visualizations that support straightforward calculated metrics. For further guidance, ControlUp's official documentation on the dashboard widgets and calculations can provide additional instructions: https://docs.controlup.com/display/DOCS/Dashboards and https://docs.controlup.com/display/DOCS/Data+Transforms.
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Investigating Historical Network Usage Spikes and Setting Alerts with ControlUp for Desktops
A user reported a network performance issue at one of their offices where a single computer had downloaded and uploaded several gigabytes of data within approximately the last four hours. They sought a way to determine exactly what data was downloaded and where it was uploaded to after the fact.
ControlUp experts clarified that while ControlUp for Desktops can provide detailed network usage volume information retrospectively, it does not store historical data about the specific destination addresses or detailed process-level network activity. The device’s Performance tab includes historical charts such as Network Usage (MB/s) and Hourly Network Usage (MB), which show the volume of data sent and received over time. This helps confirm the timing and magnitude of a network spike but only at the overall device level, not by specific process or destination.
For live, real-time network connection details—including which process is communicating with which remote IP address—the Network tab and TCP Connections Map can be used. This tab shows detailed, process-to-destination connections but does not retain historical data, so it only helps monitor ongoing network activity. Consequently, if the large data transfer activity occurred several hours ago and is no longer ongoing, ControlUp itself cannot provide retrospective insights into the process or endpoints involved.
To investigate historical transfers of this nature, network security and monitoring should be supplemented with firewall logs, proxy logs, or netflow data, which retain detailed connection records over time. This approach is recommended for network administrators with access to those tools.
For prevention and proactive detection, users can configure static threshold alerts in ControlUp to notify them immediately if network usage exceeds a predefined value in the future. This allows administrators to catch high-volume transfers as they happen and investigate using real-time detail from ControlUp. The documentation for setting static threshold alerts can be found here: https://support.controlup.com/docs/devices-static-threshold-alerts.
Additional guidance on real-time network analysis is available at https://support.controlup.com/docs/live-network-analysis.
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Managing Access to Microsoft Teams Meeting Recordings: Insights and Permissions
ControlUp does not currently offer direct insights into Microsoft Teams meeting recordings or their access logs. Meeting recordings in Teams are stored in the organizer's OneDrive or SharePoint, depending on the meeting type. For private meetings, recordings are saved to the organizer's OneDrive, while channel meetings store recordings in the SharePoint site associated with the channel. ([learn.microsoft.com](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/tmr-meeting-recording-change?utm_source=openai))
To monitor access to these recordings, organizations can utilize Microsoft Purview, which provides auditing capabilities for Teams content. Purview allows administrators to track activities related to meeting recordings, such as who accessed or shared the recordings. This functionality is particularly useful for compliance and security purposes. ([learn.microsoft.com](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/edisc-search-teams?utm_source=openai))
Additionally, meeting organizers can manage access permissions for their recordings directly within Teams. By default, access is set to "Everyone," but organizers can customize this setting to restrict access to specific individuals or groups. This control ensures that only authorized users can view or download the recordings. ([support.microsoft.com](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/meetings/customize-who-can-access-a-recording-or-transcript-in-microsoft-teams?utm_source=openai))
In summary, while ControlUp does not provide direct insights into Teams meeting recordings, organizations can leverage Microsoft Purview for auditing access and utilize Teams' built-in features to manage recording permissions effectively.
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Analyzing Windows Client Boot Time Delays: Using External Scripts to Generate Boot Performance Reports in ControlUp Environments
A community discussion sought an effective method to analyze Windows client boot times with detailed insights into the causes of any delays. The original inquiry focused on whether there was an existing script or dashboard capable of breaking down boot delays, as the environment faced issues with slow client startups. Such diagnostics would provide valuable information to address client performance problems.
In response, a community member shared a beta script designed as a boot analyzer, which generates an HTML report summarizing boot performance. This script creates an output that visually breaks down boot times, helping identify the components or processes causing delays. However, the script does not currently save boot information within the ControlUp platform because the ControlUp agent is not active during the Windows boot phase, preventing direct integration of boot data into ControlUp's indexes.
While the script is substantial and complex, it offers a practical starting point for environments needing detailed boot-time diagnostics. The contributor noted the lack of time to fully test writing the boot data to the ControlUp index but confirmed the HTML report format is functional and aesthetically clear. The shared approach highlights the current workaround for boot analysis within ControlUp environments: external data collection and report generation rather than native ControlUp indexing, due to agent limitations during system startup.
For users seeking to monitor boot performance in Windows clients using ControlUp, this solution involves running external scripts to analyze boot metrics and then reviewing detailed offline reports. Until ControlUp supports native boot-time data collection via its agent during the startup phase, such scripts provide the most direct method to diagnose and troubleshoot boot delays.
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How to Diagnose Microsoft Teams SlimCore Optimization in Citrix and Other VDI Environments Using PowerShell Scripts
This discussion highlights two PowerShell scripts developed to aid tracking and diagnosing Microsoft Teams SlimCore Optimization specifically within Citrix environments, with potential applicability to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Windows 365 (W365), and VMware Horizon sessions. SlimCore is an optimized media stack used in virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) scenarios to enhance Teams call performance by offloading audio and video processing to the client side.
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