Configuring certain clients to "KeepAlive"

MarcusRB

I've been trying to figure out how to make clients that are idle disconnect from the server, but also allow certain clients to stay connected.

I have modified the "Idle Client Timeout" so that it now holds the value "00:10:00", meaning that a client should timeout if it's been inactive for 10 minutes. I have tested that this works.


I then added the "KeepAlive key" to the ClientUserSettings.config and set it to "00:09:00", meaning that a client should send some form of signal to the server every 9 minutes so that it is not disconnected. This however does not work.


I'm not sure wether the "keep alive functionality" is present in NAV 2013 (I should like to think so), but I've not been able to find any information about it in regards to NAV 2013. I'm using NAV 2013 V. 7.0.35355.0.

RemkoD

Hi MarcusRB,

This topic rang a bell. I've checked our ticket system and found an old ticket. Following this ticket NAV 2013 only has the option "Idle Client Timeout", KeepAlive did not exist yet. The parameter "ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval" is introduced with the NAV 2013 R2 platform. The value is in seconds.

But your problem can be resolved though.

I've been trying to figure out how to make clients that are idle disconnect from the server, but also allow certain clients to stay connected.

1. Create two identical NST's. Change the "Idle Client Timeout" for one of the service tiers.
2. Create two different ClientUserSettings.config files.
3. Configure one with NST A and the other with NST B.
4. Put the files on a share and make them read only (you can rename the files to whatever)
5. Create two NAV client shortcuts with the -settings paremeter. One shortcut points to ClientUserSettings.config A and the other to ClientUserSettings.config B.
6. Distribute different NAV client icons to the users.

Example shortcuts

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\70\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.Client.exe" -settings:"\\server\share\NAV70prod_timeout_true.config"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\70\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.Client.exe" -settings:"\\server\share\NAV70prod_timeout_false.config"

Good to know:
In Dynamics NAV 2016 Cumulative Update 8 the ClientKeepAlive setting has been moved from the user level to the service level, and is no longer defined in number of seconds but as a time interval, just like the Idle Client Timeout setting. So you can configure this value on the NST.

Hope this helps

MarcusRB

Anyone know?

geronimo

as far as i know the clientservicesKeepAliveInterval just means that a client will not lose its connection during those 9 minutes. As soon as they go over the 9 minutes threshold it will lose connection.

The server session will be available for reconnect then for 1 more minute before closing (due to the 10 min setting in de idle client timeout)

MarcusRB

geronimo wrote: »

as far as i know the clientservicesKeepAliveInterval just means that a client will not lose its connection during those 9 minutes. As soon as they go over the 9 minutes threshold it will lose connection.

The server session will be available for reconnect then for 1 more minute before closing (due to the 10 min setting in de idle client timeout)

Thanks for the suggestion, it still didn't stay alive though. I modified the value from an interval to a "length" value (i.e. from 9 minutes to MaxValue/999 minutes).

vivek4121

I think the value that needs to put in “ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval” in is seconds rather than in minutes (as you did in your case).

Also if you want to kill session which is idle for 10 mins or more than in that case you have to perform below:-

1) Set “ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval” property to 600 in ClientUserSettings.Config file

2) Update the Idle Client Timeout on NAV administration as you did.

Thanks

MarcusRB

vivek4121 wrote: »

I think the value that needs to put in “ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval” in is seconds rather than in minutes (as you did in your case).

Also if you want to kill session which is idle for 10 mins or more than in that case you have to perform below:-

1) Set “ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval” property to 600 in ClientUserSettings.Config file

2) Update the Idle Client Timeout on NAV administration as you did.

Thanks

I should have mentioned that I've tried different value formats in the "ClientServicesKeepAlive" value:

• 00:10:00
• 600

I did however just try again, I tried writing a lower value (300 seconds) and a higher value (900 seconds). Still didn't work though.

vivek4121

Which version you are using?

MarcusRB

vivek4121 wrote: »

Which version you are using?

I'm using NAV 2013 V. 7.0.35355.0

vivek4121

In NAV 2013, I don't think there is any need to update the "ClientUser Settings" file.
It will only work by doing the change in Idle client Timeout in NAV admin shell.
Changes in "ClientUser Settings" file came from 2015 onwards. (if I recall my self correctly)

MarcusRB

vivek4121 wrote: »

In NAV 2013, I don't think there is any need to update the "ClientUser Settings" file.
It will only work by doing the change in Idle client Timeout in NAV admin shell.
Changes in "ClientUser Settings" file came from 2015 onwards. (if I recall my self correctly)

The issue is not regarding "Idle Client Timeout". Clients are getting disconnected after the specified amount of time has passed.

The objective is that I want certain clients to stay connected past the timeout via "ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval". The issue is that even though I assign the "ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval" different values, clients are still disconnected.

vivek4121

I don't think that you will achieve this by doing the same.

RemkoD

Hi MarcusRB,

This topic rang a bell. I've checked our ticket system and found an old ticket. Following this ticket NAV 2013 only has the option "Idle Client Timeout", KeepAlive did not exist yet. The parameter "ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval" is introduced with the NAV 2013 R2 platform. The value is in seconds.

But your problem can be resolved though.

I've been trying to figure out how to make clients that are idle disconnect from the server, but also allow certain clients to stay connected.

1. Create two identical NST's. Change the "Idle Client Timeout" for one of the service tiers.
2. Create two different ClientUserSettings.config files.
3. Configure one with NST A and the other with NST B.
4. Put the files on a share and make them read only (you can rename the files to whatever)
5. Create two NAV client shortcuts with the -settings paremeter. One shortcut points to ClientUserSettings.config A and the other to ClientUserSettings.config B.
6. Distribute different NAV client icons to the users.

Example shortcuts

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\70\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.Client.exe" -settings:"\\server\share\NAV70prod_timeout_true.config"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\70\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.Client.exe" -settings:"\\server\share\NAV70prod_timeout_false.config"

Good to know:
In Dynamics NAV 2016 Cumulative Update 8 the ClientKeepAlive setting has been moved from the user level to the service level, and is no longer defined in number of seconds but as a time interval, just like the Idle Client Timeout setting. So you can configure this value on the NST.

Hope this helps

MarcusRB

RemkoD wrote: »

Hi MarcusRB,

This topic rang a bell. I've checked our ticket system and found an old ticket. Following this ticket NAV 2013 only has the option "Idle Client Timeout", KeepAlive did not exist yet. The parameter "ClientServicesKeepAliveInterval" is introduced with the NAV 2013 R2 platform. The value is in seconds.

Wonderful answer RemkoD, very insightful and well written, thank you!

RemkoD

No problem and txs for the positive feedback.