Effective video monitoring of user actions with NetWrix User Activity Video Reporter 1.0

In this post, we’ll tell you about our new NetWrix User Activity Video Reporter program, which is intended for video monitoring of users ’actions on servers and major workstations, as well as how to use its free version in a productive way to track specific user activities.
Under the cat - an overview of the functions, configuring the program, a short video review and advice on using the free version of the program.

As the name implies, the program provides video recording of user actions. The program uses the NetWrix VideoScape technology, which assigns meta tags to actions and allows you to quickly navigate to the records of specific actions performed by the user. For example, to understand how a certain event happened, you can simply enter certain information and save yourself from hours of watching a video — you can see everything immediately if you specify certain filters.

At the same time, it is possible to understand why the user did so - by chance or deliberately. Video recording even at the lowest quality level allows you to sort out all the actions performed.

The separate moment is a tracking of actions of vendors. For example, you transfer the implementation of part of the administration of the IT infrastructure of another company, respectively, it is important to record the actions performed by its specialists.
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With the help of the program, you can add another level of administrative visibility and actually track the actions of privileged accounts in the most intuitive mode - in video mode. In fact, the information is presented as clear as possible - here we see that the administrator somewhere in Samara after starting a remote session from home at night changed the access rights for users of a particular OU. And a record of a specific action of the meta tagging system in the NetWrix VideoScape technology will help you find the settings (for example, launching a specific application or the window title) and receive only relevant information.

By the way, it is not necessary to customize the program so that it tracks all user actions. If you are only interested in working with certain applications, then this is easy to configure at the stage of configuring the observed object.

Briefly about the product (we answer the question: “should you read this review further?”):

Let's start with a formal presentation. NetWrix User Activity Video Reporter is a tool for monitoring user actions (data collection and reporting). List of product features:

• Video recording of user actions during both interactive and remote sessions;
• Collection of session metadata (application names, window headers, etc.) that can be used for filtering and searching data inside video recordings;
• Ability to customize recording sizes (recording actions of specific users and applications; setting recording quality);
• Reports (in the form of tables and diagrams) on user actions with extensive sorting and filtering capabilities;
• The function of the subscription to receive reports - automatically receive reports by email;
• Integration with the audit system NetWrix Change Reporter Suite allows you to see how a specific change was made (a bunch of “product that captures the change - the video”);
• The “NetWrix Console Audit” allows you to track any actions performed using the NetWrix Management Console and track changes made to the configuration of NetWrix software modules, monitored objects and global settings.

Product operation

Data collection and generation of reports based on them is as follows:

• The administrator configures the observed objects and sets the parameters for automatic video recording;
• NetWrix User Activity Video Reporter monitors computers and records user activities. Videos are stored in a local directory called “Audit Archive”;
• The program sends to the mail the Activity Summaries reports to those recipients who were selected at the stage of product configuration (item 1);
• When the “Reports” function is enabled and configured, the data is imported from Audit Archive to the SQL database. Reports can be viewed through the NetWrix Enterprise Management Console or browser.

The product, as already written above, is integrated into the console. About the console itself and its capabilities we will not write here, those interested are referred to the Administrator Guide or Habré review .

Product setup

The configuration process itself is quite simple, so we also briefly denote it. Product setup begins with the appointment of the observed object.
1. As an observable object, select “Computer Collection”
2. Set the account that will be used by default for data collection;
3. Set the SMTP server settings;
4. Set the name of the collection of computers;
5. Set SQL Server settings (for generating reports) (by the way, there is an automatic installation and configuration feature for a new instance of SQL Server Express Edition)
6. After that, add items to the collection.
The item type is Windows Server.



There are several options to add (computer name, AD container, IP address range, export from a .csv file)



7. We specify the users whose actions will be monitored (all, selectively, deleted)



8. Set the sending of reports



As you can see, you can receive reports quite often, which will allow you to respond quickly.

9. Finish the configuration.

We work with the program

Access to the program settings is provided from the NetWrix Management Console. Expand the Managed Objects - <your Managed_Object_name> node and select User Activity Video Tracker .



What can be customized:

• Users
• Applications
• Video Recording (Video Recording)
• Sending reports (Activity Summary Delivery)

Users

Clicking on the “ Specify Users ... ” button opens a dialog box asking you to select users whose actions you want to monitor.

Applications

In the event that we track individual applications, you will need to set their names.

Video Settings

We set the video quality, recording duration and storage of recordings.

Sending reports

We set the address of the recipient and the frequency of sending reports





Sample report in the mail



By clicking on the link (in the Start Time column) video recording opens.

Monitored computers

The Monitored Computers console node allows you to check and manage the statuses of agents installed on the computers being monitored.
Access ( Managed Objects - <your Managed_Object_name> - User Activity Video Reporter - Monitored Computers ).

Action Records

The Activity Records page gives access to video recordings; filtering is set by you. Access to them - ( Managed Objects - <Your Managed_Object_name> - User Activity Video Reporter - Activity )



As we can see, there are plenty of filters:

• Period of time
• Computer
• User
• Applications
• Window title

Adjust the filters and click Generate Summary
As an example, consider the Activity Records report:



From the console, you can immediately see how a certain action was carried out. Video can be saved.

Reports

In version 1.0, five reports are currently available.
Take for example the report “ All Users Activity ”.



Set up the filters and finally get this report.



By clicking on the date, the video action is opened.

NetWrix Console Audit

This option allows you to track changes made to monitored objects, NetWrix program configurations and global console settings.



By clicking on the Configure button, an observable object is created that is similar to that described at the program setup stage.

The program can be viewed in a short video.

Use the free version productively.

The program is available as usual in two versions - basic free and extended commercial . And the main limitation that exists in the free version is that the video recording of user actions stops after 30 minutes of working with the application. It would seem that such a restriction negates the existence of the free version. However, pay attention to the fact that the video recording can start when you start a certain application and even the title of the window. Take the example of working with SalesForce. We are interested in the user's access to this site and actions with it.
In the Applications section, add the Application Description * (or you can specify the browser that your users use), but specify the window title (Window Title) as * salesforce *. You can go further and refine the appeal to a specific element of the site, for example, to a specific report, for example, “Leads Daily ~ salesforce *”, in order to get only the video recording of work with it. Taking into account that the user does not sit around this report all the time, but periodically opens it during the day, 30 minutes will be quite enough to track activity during the day.



And this is just one example. You can, of course, come up with other options for using the program for tracking activity, based on the specifics of the work of your users.