DeskAlerts Registration Types

Overview

The DeskAlerts client supports multiple registration types to accommodate different enterprise environments and authentication requirements. This documentation describes each registration type, their prerequisites, and setup procedures.

Registration System Architecture

• Client Configuration: Registration type is configured in client's appsettings.json
• Server Validation: Server validates registration against AdConfig setting
• Authentication Methods: Range from simple manual entry to seamless domain integration
• Platform Support: Varies by registration type and operating system

Active Directory Configurations

The server-side AdConfig setting determines which registration types are allowed and affects the registration process. This section describes the available AdConfig values and their implications.

AdConfig Value	Description	Allowed Registration Types	Use Case
AdOnly (0)	Only domain devices	SimpleAD (fallback to web form), AzureAD, SeamlessForAzureAD	Strict domain-only environments
MixedDeviceAdOnly (1)	Devices can be out of domain, but only AD type of registration	SimpleAD (fallback to web form), AzureAD, SeamlessForAzureAD	Mixed environments with AD authentication
Mixed (2)	All type of registrations	All registration types	Flexible environments supporting all authentication methods

Registration Types

This section provides detailed information about each supported registration type, including implementation details, requirements, and platform support.

Simple Registration

Description

Manual registration through a web-based form. Users enter their credentials manually in a browser window.

How It Works:

• Opens a registration window with a web form
• User manually enters username, password, and domain information
• Form submits credentials to server for validation
• Registration window closes automatically on success

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig must be set to Mixed (2)
• Registration page must be accessible at /api/page/Registration

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 0 (Simple)
• Server URL must be configured
• Network Requirements:
• HTTPS/HTTP access to DeskAlerts server
• Browser support for web forms

Platform Support:

• Windows: ✓ Full support
• macOS: ✓ Full support

Computer Name Registration

Description

Registration using the computer name as the primary identifier. Opens a web form with pre-filled computer name.

How It Works:

• Retrieves computer name using Environment.MachineName
• Opens registration window with computer name pre-filled
• User completes additional required fields
• Server validates computer name and credentials

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig must be set to Mixed (2)
• Computer name validation must be configured on server

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 1 (ComputerName)
• Valid computer name must be available

System Requirements:

• Computer must have a valid machine name
• Network connectivity to DeskAlerts server

Platform Support

• Windows: ✓ Full support
• macOS: ✓ Full support

Simple AD Registration

Description

Automatic registration using Active Directory domain credentials. Generates a hashed password from domain user and domain name.

How It Works:

• Windows: Uses Domain.GetCurrentDomain() to get domain information
• macOS: Uses dsconfigad command to retrieve domain details
• Generates hashed password using GetHash(domainUser + domainName)
• Sends login request with generated credentials
• No user interaction required

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig: Any (0, 1, 2) - fallback to web form if domain unavailable
• Active Directory integration must be configured
• Domain users must exist in DeskAlerts system

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 2 (SimpleAD)
• Device must be joined to Active Directory domain

Domain Requirements:

• Windows: Computer must be domain-joined
• macOS: Computer must be joined to AD domain via dsconfigad
• Domain user must have appropriate permissions

Platform Support

• Windows: ✓ Full support with Domain.GetCurrentDomain()
• macOS: ✓ Full support with dsconfigad integration

macOS Specific Requirements:

• macOS device must be joined to Active Directory domain
• dsconfigad command must be available and configured
• Domain membership is verified before registration attempt

Azure AD Registration

Description

Registration using Azure Active Directory authentication. Uses Azure SDK for authentication.

How It Works:

• Uses Azure SDK to authenticate with Azure AD
• Retrieves Azure AD credentials and tokens
• Sends authentication request to DeskAlerts server
• Server validates Azure AD credentials

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig: MixedDeviceAdOnly (1) or Mixed (2)
• Azure AD integration must be configured on server
• Azure AD tenant must be properly configured

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 3 (AzureAD)
• Azure SDK must be available
• Azure AD credentials must be configured

Azure AD Requirements:

• Valid Azure AD tenant
• User must have Azure AD account
• Proper Azure AD permissions and policies

Platform Support

• Windows: ✓ Full support with Azure SDK
• macOS: ✓ Full support with Azure SDK

Seamless Registration

Description

Seamless registration using current domain user credentials without password prompts. Works with both Windows and macOS domain-joined devices.

How It Works:

• Windows: Uses current domain user context
• macOS: Uses domain-joined user without password
• Generates hashed password from domain user and domain name
• Automatic login without user interaction

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig: Mixed (2) only
• Domain authentication must be configured

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 5 (Seamless)
• Device must be domain-joined

Domain Requirements:

• Windows: Computer must be domain-joined
• macOS: Computer must be joined to AD domain
• User must be logged in with domain account

Platform Support

• Windows: ✓ Full support
• macOS: ✓ Full support (requires domain membership)

Seamless Hybrid User AD

Description

Hybrid seamless registration that works with both domain-joined and non-domain devices, but requires AD authentication. Uses Windows SID-based authentication for enhanced security.

How It Works:

• Similar to Seamless registration
• Supports hybrid environments with mixed device types
• Uses domain authentication when available
• Falls back to manual authentication for non-domain devices

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig: Mixed (2) only
• Hybrid AD configuration must be set up

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 6 (SeamlessHybridUserAd)
• Environment Requirements:
• Hybrid Active Directory environment
• Mixed device types (domain-joined and non-domain)

Platform Support

• Windows: ✓ Full support with SID-based authentication
• macOS: ✗ Not supported (falls back to regular Seamless)

macOS Limitation: On macOS, SeamlessHybridUserAd registration type falls back to regular Seamless registration due to platform limitations. The hybrid SID-based authentication mechanism is Windows-specific and cannot be implemented on macOS.

Seamless for Azure AD

Description

Seamless registration specifically for Azure AD environments. Uses Windows Azure AD integration to retrieve user credentials automatically.

How It Works:

• Uses DsregAccountsProvider to get Azure AD account information
• Retrieves UserId, TenantId, and UserName from Azure AD
• Generates password using Base64 encoding of UserId.TenantId
• Automatic login without user interaction

Requirements

Server Configuration:

• AdConfig: MixedDeviceAdOnly (1) or Mixed (2)
• Azure AD integration must be configured

Client Configuration:

• RegistrationType: 7 (SeamlessForAzureAD)
• Windows device must be Azure AD joined

Azure AD Requirements:

• Device must be Azure AD joined (not just Azure AD registered)
• User must be logged in with Azure AD account
• Azure AD tenant must be properly configured

Platform Support

• Windows: ✓ Full support with Azure AD join
• macOS: ✗ Not supported

Windows Specific Requirements:

• Device must be Azure AD joined (not just registered)
• DsregAccountsProvider must be available
• Azure AD account must be the default account on the device

Platform Support Matrix

The following table provides a comprehensive overview of platform support, domain requirements, user interaction levels, and AdConfig requirements for each registration type.

Registration Type	Windows Support	macOS Support	Domain Requirement	User Interaction	AdConfig Required
Simple	✓ Full	✓ Full	None	Manual form entry	Mixed (2)
ComputerName	✓ Full	✓ Full	None	Manual form entry	Mixed (2)
SimpleAD	✓ Full	✓ Full	Required	Automatic	All (0, 1, 2)
AzureAD	✓ Full	✓ Full	Azure AD	Azure SDK	MixedDeviceAdOnly (1) or Mixed (2)
Seamless	✓ Full	✓ Full	Required	Automatic	Mixed (2)
SeamlessHybridUserAd	✓ Full	✗ Not supported	Hybrid	Automatic	Mixed (2)
SeamlessForAzureAD	✓ Full	✗ Not supported	Azure AD Join	Automatic	MixedDeviceAdOnly (1) or Mixed (2)

Setup Requirements

This section outlines the prerequisites and configuration steps required to implement DeskAlerts client registration types in your environment.

Domain Synchronization Requirements

Before clients can register using domain-based authentication methods, proper synchronization between the DeskAlerts server and Active Directory must be established.

User Synchronization

Required Synchronization:

• User Accounts: All domain users who need DeskAlerts access must be synchronized to the DeskAlerts database
• User Properties: Username, display name, email address, and domain information must be synchronized
• Group Membership: Active Directory group memberships should be synchronized for proper access control
• Account Status: Active/disabled status must be kept in sync

Computer Synchronization

Computer Account Requirements:

• Computer Objects: Domain-joined computers must exist as objects in Active Directory
• Computer Names: Computer names must match between AD and DeskAlerts system
• Computer Properties: Operating system, domain membership, and location information should be synchronized
• Computer Groups: Computer group memberships for targeting and policies

Synchronization Methods

Synchronization Type	Method	Frequency	Requirements
User Accounts	LDAP/ADSI queries	Real-time or scheduled	Read access to AD, network connectivity
Computer Accounts	LDAP/ADSI queries	Real-time or scheduled	Read access to AD, network connectivity
Group Memberships	LDAP queries with group expansion	Real-time or scheduled	Read access to AD groups
Account Status	LDAP attribute monitoring	Real-time or frequent polling	Read access to user attributes

Pre-Registration Validation

Domain Validation Checks:

• User Existence: Verify user exists in DeskAlerts database before allowing registration
• Account Status: Check if user account is active and not disabled
• Domain Membership: Validate user belongs to correct domain
• Computer Registration: Verify computer is registered in DeskAlerts system
• Group Permissions: Check if user has required group memberships

Synchronization Troubleshooting

Common Synchronization Issues:

• User Not Found: User exists in AD but not in DeskAlerts database
• Stale Data: User information in DeskAlerts is outdated
• Group Mismatch: Group memberships not synchronized
• Computer Not Registered: Computer exists in AD but not in DeskAlerts
• Domain Trust Issues: Cross-domain authentication problems

Client Configuration

appsettings.json Configuration:

{ "Application": { "RegistrationType": 0, // 0=Simple, 1=ComputerName, 2=SimpleAD, 3=AzureAD, 5=Seamless, 6=SeamlessHybridUserAd, 7=SeamlessForAzureAD "ServerUrl": "https://your-deskalerts-server.com" } }

Server Configuration

AdConfig Setting Values:

• 0 (AdOnly): Only domain devices allowed
• 1 (MixedDeviceAdOnly): Mixed devices, AD authentication only
• 2 (Mixed): All registration types allowed

Domain Setup Requirements

Active Directory Domain:

• Domain controller must be accessible
• Users must exist in Active Directory
• Domain trust relationships must be configured
• DNS resolution must work for domain

Azure Active Directory:

• Azure AD tenant must be configured
• Users must be synchronized or created in Azure AD
• Azure AD Connect may be required for hybrid scenarios
• Proper Azure AD licenses must be available

Authentication Flow

This section describes the technical implementation of the authentication process and credential generation mechanisms.

Registration Process Flow

General Registration Process:

• Client Startup: Client reads RegistrationType from configuration
• Server Validation: Client retrieves AdConfig from server
• Type Validation: Server validates if registration type is allowed
• Authentication: Client performs authentication based on type
• Token Exchange: Server returns JWT tokens on success
• Connection: Client establishes SignalR connection

Credential Generation

Domain Authentication Hash Generation: - Input: domainUser + domainName - Method: Custom hash function - Purpose: Generate consistent password for domain authentication - Used by: SimpleAD, Seamless, SeamlessHybridUserAd Azure AD Credential Generation: - Input: UserId + "." + TenantId - Method: Base64 encoding - Purpose: Generate Azure AD specific credentials - Used by: SeamlessForAzureAD

Troubleshooting Guide

This section provides solutions for common issues encountered during DeskAlerts client registration and domain synchronization.

Common Issues and Solutions

Registration Type Not Allowed

Error: "Registration type not allowed by server configuration"

Solutions:

• Check server AdConfig setting
• Verify registration type is allowed for current AdConfig
• Update server configuration if needed

Domain Authentication Failures

Error: "Domain authentication failed" or "Domain is null"

Solutions:

• Windows: Verify computer is domain-joined
• macOS: Check dsconfigad configuration
• Verify domain controller connectivity
• Check DNS resolution for domain
• Synchronization: Ensure user is synchronized in DeskAlerts database

Domain Authentication Failures

Error: "Domain authentication failed" or "Domain is null"

Solutions:

• Windows: Verify computer is domain-joined
• macOS: Check dsconfigad configuration
• Verify domain controller connectivity
• Check DNS resolution for domain
• Synchronization: Ensure user is synchronized in DeskAlerts database

Synchronization Issues

Error: "User not found" or "User not synchronized"

Solutions:

• User Sync: Verify user exists in DeskAlerts database
• Sync Process: Check if synchronization process is running
• AD Connectivity: Verify DeskAlerts server can connect to Active Directory
• Permissions: Ensure DeskAlerts service has read access to AD
• Manual Sync: Trigger manual synchronization for specific user

Computer Registration Issues

Error: "Computer not registered" or "Computer name mismatch"

Solutions:

• Computer Sync: Verify computer object exists in DeskAlerts database
• Name Match: Ensure computer name matches between AD and DeskAlerts
• AD Object: Verify computer object exists in Active Directory
• Sync Schedule: Check if computer synchronization is scheduled

Azure AD Authentication Issues

Error: "Azure AD account not found" or "Azure AD authentication failed"

Solutions:

• Verify device is Azure AD joined (not just registered)
• Check Azure AD tenant configuration
• Verify user has proper Azure AD permissions
• Ensure Azure SDK is properly installed

macOS Specific Issues

Error: "macOS is not joined to a domain (Code: 501)"

Solutions:

• Join macOS device to Active Directory domain
• Verify dsconfigad command works
• Check domain trust relationships
• Ensure proper DNS configuration

Logging and Diagnostics

Client Logging:

• Registration process is logged with NLog
• Logs include domain information, user details, and error messages
• Check client logs for detailed error information

Server Logging:

• Server logs registration attempts and validation results
• AdConfig validation is logged
• Authentication success/failure is recorded

Summary

DeskAlerts client supports seven different registration types to accommodate various enterprise environments and authentication requirements. The choice of registration type depends on your infrastructure setup, security requirements, and user experience preferences.

Key Considerations:

• Simple Registration: Best for testing and non-domain environments
• Domain-based Registration: Best for Active Directory environments
• Azure AD Registration: Best for cloud-first organizations
• Seamless Registration: Best for user experience in domain environments
• Platform Support: Most types work on both Windows and macOS

Critical Prerequisites for Domain-based Registration:

• User Synchronization: All domain users must be synchronized to DeskAlerts database before registration
• Computer Synchronization: Domain-joined computers must be registered in DeskAlerts system
• Group Synchronization: Active Directory group memberships must be synchronized for proper access control
• Real-time Updates: Account status changes must be reflected in DeskAlerts system
• Validation Process: Pre-registration validation ensures user and computer exist in system

Implementation Checklist:

• Configure Active Directory Synchronization: Set up LDAP/ADSI queries for user and computer synchronization
• Set Server AdConfig: Configure appropriate AdConfig value based on environment requirements
• Configure Client Registration Type: Set RegistrationType in client appsettings.json
• Test Synchronization: Verify users and computers are properly synchronized
• Validate Registration: Test registration process with domain users
• Monitor and Troubleshoot: Set up logging and monitoring for synchronization issues