Witness Systems, Inc.

Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide

Draft 1

Witness Systems, Inc. 300 Colonial Center Parkway Roswell, GA 30076 USA

Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide Draft: 1

Issued by: eRecorder Team 2013.03.18

Document Information
Document title: Document ID: Revision: Issued by: Issue Date: Status: Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide 1 eRecorder Team 2013.03.18 Draft

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Witness Systems, Inc. 2003

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Revision History
Revision 1.0 2.0 Date 2003.07.25 2003.08.08 Authors Kondal Reddy Gundla Kondal Reddy Gundla Description of change First Draft Updated with comments. Added TestMonitorAuthorization registry setting details. Corrected the Avg. Compression ratio values for Witness and MSRLE8 compressions.

3.0

2004.06.29

Kondal Reddy Gundla

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction .........................................................................................................................5 2. Configuration Settings........................................................................................................6 2.1 Registry values ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 Agent Capture Service Registry Values ............................................................................................ 6 Agent Capture Registry Values ......................................................................................................... 7 Registry values for Thin Client support ............................................................................................ 9

3. Fine Tuning Agent Capture ..............................................................................................12

3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.3 3.1.4 3.1.5 CaptureMethod ............................................................................................................................... 12 Capture Quality ............................................................................................................................... 12 Compression Method ...................................................................................................................... 12 Compression Quality....................................................................................................................... 12 Color Reduction .............................................................................................................................. 12

4. Suggested Configuration Settings...................................................................................13 4.1 High-end machine ..................................................................................................................... 13

4.1.1 4.1.2 High Quality Recording .................................................................................................................. 13 Best Performance ............................................................................................................................ 13 High Quality Recording .................................................................................................................. 13 Best Performance ............................................................................................................................ 13 High Quality Recording .................................................................................................................. 13 Best Performance ............................................................................................................................ 13

4.2

Medium-level machine .............................................................................................................. 13

4.2.1 4.2.2

4.3

Low-end machine ...................................................................................................................... 13

4.3.1 4.3.2

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1. Introduction
The new Enhanced Agent Capture for eQuality Balance 6.4 can be configured to fit most customer environments. The software can be fine-tuned to improve performance for a particular environment. Many things play an important role, which impact the performance of WCapW32. CPU speed, system load, available memory, color depth, and screen resolution directly affect performance. Things that indirectly affect performance include: network bandwidth, LAN/WAN performance, plus eRecoder Server load.

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2. Configuration Settings
2.1 Registry values
The Agent Capture registry settings Location: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Witness Systems\eQuality Agent\Capture\Current Version The Agent Capture uses the following registry settings to provide different features it supports. Note: The installation program adds some registry settings. Missing registry values can be added based on the required feature/performance. For missing registry values, Agent Capture uses the respective default value for each missing registry value. 2.1.1 Agent Capture Service Registry Values Agent Capture service uses following registry values.
Registry Entry CaptureRunPath Description Agent Capture Installed directory path. Type REG_SZ Default Value Capture Service module path. 1

ServiceLogAppend

Specifies whether the Capture service Appends or Overwrites log files. 0 - overwrite 1 - append

REG_DWORD

ServiceLogFilePath ServiceLogLevel

Log file path. Capture Service generates the log files in this directory. Logging level: 0 - None 1 - Errors 2 - Errors and Warnings 3 - Errors Warnings and Information

REG_SZ REG_DWORD

. 1

Show

Specifies whether the WCapW32.exe window will be visible or not. 0 - Invisible 1 - Visible

REG_DWORD

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2.1.2 Agent Capture Registry Values Agent Capture uses following registry values. Agent Capture executable name is WcapW32.exe.
Registry Entry AgentLogAppend Description Specifies whether the Capture Appends or Overwrites log files. 0 - overwrite 1 - append AgentLogFilePath AgentLogLevel Log file path. Capture generates the log files in this directory. Logging level: 0 - None 1 - Errors 2 - Errors and Warnings 3 - Errors Warnings and Information AgentSocketPort CaptureMethod (also known as Detection Method) CaptureQuality Socket TCP port number to listen on for connection request from Witness Server. Screen capture method: 1 - Witness Enhanced 2 - Witness Recording Quality in the range 1 to 10. 10 - Best Quality (Low Performance) 1 - Low Quality (Best Performance) Note: Recording quality is most evident during Review of the recorded contact. CompressionMethod Compression algorithm to use. 1 - Witness Enhanced 2 - Witness 3 - Microsoft RLE8 4 - JPEG Compression 5 - 5.x Compatible 6 - 6.x Compatible (6.3 and below) CompressionQuality Compression Quality in the range 1 to 10 10 - Best compression (Low Performance) 1 - Less Compression (Best Performance) Note: This setting applicable CompressionMethod is 1 or 4. ColorBlocks only when REG_DWORD 0 REG_DWORD 8 REG_DWORD 1 REG_DWORD 8 REG_DWORD REG_DWORD 4001 1 REG_SZ REG_DWORD . 1 Type REG_DWORD Default Value 0

Causes Agent Capture to send alternating color blocks to the Witness Server in lieu of screen updates. Used

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for debugging change detection algorithms. 0 - Off 1 - On ColorReduction Reduce the number of colors captured to 256. 0 - Off 1 On DataEncryption If this is set to 1, Capture encrypts the data before sending to Witness Server. 0 - Not Encrypted 1 - Encrypted Enhanced Resolution Causes Capture to continuously fake a constant monitor to artificially utilize CPU and Memory resources even when a monitor is not in progress. 0 - Off 1 - On MultPkt Causes Capture to send all accumulated screen updates to the Witness server per server poll request. 0 - Off 1 - On MultThread This setting is valid only on CaptureMethod set to 2 (Witness detection). Capture uses this setting for using multiple threads or single thread for its operation. 0 - On 1 - Off MTU Maximum Transmission Unit indicates the max size, in bytes, of the transmission packet sent by the Capture to the Witness server. Valid ranges: 1024 128000. Timeout, in seconds, for the Agent Capture socket read operation. If no information is received within the timeout, Agent Capture will close the socket connection and begin listening for the next connection. Used by WCapW32b to indicate whether server authentication is used or not. 0 - Not Authenticated 1 - Authenticated UseDirectX Used by WCapW32.exe to indicate screen captures should be performed using DirectX. This option is valid for Witness Enhanced Capture Method only. For optionally enabling/disabling the message box pop-up for authorization on test monitor using CapTest application. 0 Disable the message box pop-up
Witness Systems, Inc. 2003

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

16000

SocketReadTimeout

REG_DWORD

30

ServerAuthentication

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

TestMonitorAuthorization

REG_DWORD

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1 Enable the message box pop-up NOTE: This setting is applicable only when running the CapTest for monitoring the Capture while testing. It does not have any effect on the Witness Balance server recording. WSSPath Directory path to the agent.wss file used by WCapW32.exe during server authentication and data encryption. REG_SZ .

2.1.3 Registry values for Thin Client support Following additional registry values are applicable only when Agent Capture Service is running on Thin Client Server.
Registry Entry AdditionalUserApps Description Registry Key for Citrix published applications and Citrix published desktops. This entry prevents WCapWListener.exe and WCapW32.exe from exiting prematurely. Entries under this key can be named anything appropriate; the values should contain the executable name of the published application with the .exe extension. LogArchive Indicates log files should be archived by the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers: 0 - No 1 Yes LogArchiveDays Day of week for Witness Capture Service to perform log archiving. 0-Sun, 1-Mon, 2-Tue, 3-Wed, 4-Thu, 5-Fri, 6-Sat Eg. 0,1,2,3, LogArchivePath Path to store archived logs, used by Witness Capture Service. Typically: C:\Witness\Logs\Archive LogArchiveTime LogMaxSizeKB PubAppRate Time of day, in military time, for Witness Capture Service to begin log archive. Maximum size, in kilobytes, that Witness Capture Service allows the logs to grow before archiving. Time interval, in milliseconds, to poll the system for the presence of the session published application or published desktop on Citrix thin-client servers. Time delay, in milliseconds, to allow destruction of logged-out sessions on Thin-Client servers before the Witness Capture Service enumerates active sessions. REG_SZ REG_DWORD REG_DWORD REG_SZ C:\Witnes s\ Logs\Arch ive 2300 500 5000 REG_SZ 1,2,3,4,5 REG_DWORD 1 Type REG_KEY Default Value blank

ServiceDelaySession Enumeration

REG_DWORD

2000

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ServiceDelayShutdo wn ServiceDelaySocket Delivery

Time delay, in milliseconds, to allow the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers to clean up before shutting down. Time delay, in milliseconds, before the Witness Capture Service attempts to deliver the socket descriptor to WCapW32.exe within a Thin-Client session. This gives WCapW32 initialization time. Time delay, in milliseconds, between connection attempts by the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers to the Witness Server. Specifies whether the Witness Capture service Appends or Overwrites log files on Thin-Client servers. 0 - overwrite 1 append

REG_DWORD

500

REG_DWORD

500

ServiceDelayWitness ServerUpdate ServiceLogAppend

REG_DWORD

500

REG_DWORD

ServiceLogArchiveL og

Name of log file for the Witness Capture Service Archive Log Thread on Thin-Client servers

REG_SZ

WitnessService_L ogArchive.lo g WitnessService_Client.lo g WitnessService_Server.lo g 5

ServiceLogClientCon nect

Name of log file for the Witness Capture Service Client Connection Thread on Thin-Client servers.

REG_SZ

ServiceLogServerUp date

Name of log file for the Witness Capture Service Server Update Thread on Thin-Client servers.

REG_SZ

ServiceRetriesSocket Delivery ServiceRetriesWitnes sServerUpdate ServiceSocketListenP ort TermSvr

Number of times for the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers to retry sending the socket descriptor to WcapW32.exe. Number of times for the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers to retry sending the active agent list to the Witness server. Witness Capture Service Socket Port Number for ThinClient. Typically 4002. Used to indicate Thin-Client server. 0 - Not Terminal Server 1 - Terminal Server

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD

REG_DWORD REG_DWORD

4002 0

UseAgentID

Used by the Witness Capture Service for Thin-Client servers, determines whether device host names or agent logon Ids are used to locate Thin-Client sessions: 0 - Device Host Name 1 - Agent Logon ID

REG_DWORD

WCapWListenerPath

Path to WCapWListener.exe on NT40 Thin-Client servers not required for Window 2000. Typically:

REG_SZ

C:\Witnes s

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C:\Witness WitnessServerList Comma-separated list of the Witness server names to be serviced by the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers. Witness Server Socket Port Number for the Witness Capture Service to communicate. Typically: 3003. REG_SZ Blank

WitnessServerPort

REG_DWORD

3003

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3. Fine Tuning Agent Capture

Changing the values of the following registry values will affect the Agent Capture performance, recording quality and network bandwidth. Giving the appropriate registry values based on the Agent Machine Configuration; Agent Capture can be utilized in efficient way. 3.1.1 CaptureMethod Witness Enhanced is a good screen change detection method. It uses more CPU. Playback will be fine, no tiling behavior. Witness It is good in terms of CPU utilization (uses less). If screen changes are more, then Playback will have tiling behavior. 3.1.2 Capture Quality 10 gives the best recording quality and improves playback quality. Uses more CPU. 1 gives low recording quality. Uses less CPU. 3.1.3 Compression Method Following table lists the supported compression methods and their metrics. Compression Method Witness Compression Microsoft RLE8 Compression Witness Enhanced Compression JPEG Compression Avg. Compression Ratio 8:1 2:1 40:1 40:1 Best when capturing TBD TBD TBD Pictures. Loss of quality TBD TBD TBD Yes

3.1.4 Compression Quality Applicable only when Witness Enhanced Compression or JPEG Compression is used. 10 Produces the best compression quality and small packets. It uses slightly more CPU. 1 Produces the low quality compression. Gives good performance. 3.1.5 Color Reduction When it is enabled, the captured desktop bitmap data will be converted to 8-bit color pixel data. As the Agent Machine Desktop uses more colors (16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit), more lose in data quality when data converted to 8-bit color data. Fewer colors will be displayed on Playback. It produces small packets and uses less network bandwidth. It is more suitable when Agent is using notepad, word, outlook and Onyx etc. kind of applications, as these applications will produce less color data.

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4. Suggested Configuration Settings

4.1 High-end machine
Good configuration machine in terms of CPU speed and RAM etc. 4.1.1 High Quality Recording Set the following registry settings to the specified values for high quality recording. CaptureMethod = 1 CaptureQuality = 10 4.1.2 Best Performance Set the following registry settings to the specified values for better performance. This may produce the low quality recording. CaptureMethod = 1 CaptureQuality = 5 CompressionMethod = 1

4.2 Medium-level machine

Medium configuration machine in terms of CPU speed and RAM etc. 4.2.1 High Quality Recording Set the following registry settings to the specified values for high quality recording. CaptureMethod = 1 CaptureQuality = 8 4.2.2 Best Performance Set the following registry settings to the specified values for better performance. This may produce the low quality recording. CaptureMethod = 1 CaptureQuality = 5 CompressionMethod = 1

4.3 Low-end machine

Low configuration machine in terms of CPU speed and RAM etc. 4.3.1 High Quality Recording Set the following registry settings to the specified values for high quality recording. CaptureMethod = 1 CaptureQuality = 6 4.3.2 Best Performance Set the following registry settings to the specified values for better performance. This may produce the low quality recording. CaptureMethod = 2 CaptureQuality = 5 CompressionMethod = 1

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