Microsoft DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant

Article
02/12/2010

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Download the DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant.

Visit the Download Center to get more technical information and download the DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant.

Visit the Windows Optimized Desktop Toolkit (WODT) 2010 page to get more tools and guidance to plan, deliver, and operate your optimized desktop infrastructure.

About This Solution Accelerator

The Microsoft DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant (DCA) helps organizations reduce the cost of supporting DirectAccess users and significantly improve their connectivity experience.

DCA informs mobile users of their connectivity status at all times; provides tools to help them reconnect on their own if problems arise; and creates diagnostics to help mobile users provide IT staff with key information if necessary—all to help customers operate with more efficiency, and at a lower cost.

DCA is the newest addition to the Windows® Optimized Desktop Toolkit 2010, which is designed to help IT pros plan, deliver, and operate the right desktop technologies for users across their organization.

Included in the Download

The DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant (DCA) includes the following components:

Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant.zip
Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_x32.msi
Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_x64.msi
Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_DeploymentGuide.docx
Microsoft_DirectAccess_Connectivity_Assistant_Release_Notes.en.htm
DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant GP.admx
DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant GP.adml

In More Detail

The DirectAccess Connectivity Assistant (DCA) provides the following benefits:

Lets mobile users know their connection status: DCA provides an indicator in the notification area that keeps mobile users informed of their connectivity status with an organization’s intranet.
Reduces the number of support calls: DCA has built-in remediation tools that help mobile users solve connection problems on their own, without calling the help desk.
Reduces the duration of support calls: If support is needed, DCA helps mobile users provide IT staff with key diagnostics to zero in on the source of a problem, so IT can resolve the issue faster and get users back to work.
Helps users stay productive: Because DCA helps IT solve connection problems faster, mobile users have more reliable access to network-based resources, and can stay more productive.

After DCA is set up on your computer, one of the following icons appears in your notification area to inform you of your connectivity status:

Notification area icon	What this means
	Good DirectAccess connectivity
	Action required
	DirectAccess malfunction

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