Use of the Remote Control Facility

The remote control facility allows Authorised people to take control of another PC. This has been very useful for IT Services support personnel to diagnose and resolve technical issues without the need to visit users' PCs. Its use is managed carefully within IT Services, with authorisation and training being required before its use.

The facility is available to support staff outside of IT Services who have a cross University role and for whom remote access to a user's PC will be of significant benefit in carrying out their support role.

A responsible person within the department making a request must approve the application. This person would normally be the Head of Department, or Head of Section, as appropriate.
IT Services will assess each request to use the remote control tool on its own merits, and reserves the right not to grant access to the tool for security or other reasons.
Before permission is granted to access the remote control tool, those requesting access must attend a brief training session given by IT Services.
Any misuse of the remote control tool, including use for purposes for which it was not requested or authorised, is a breach of the regulations for the use of computing facilities, and as such falls within the University’s disciplinary procedures.
Permission to use the tool may be withdrawn at any time.
The Head of Support Services within IT Services will maintain a central record of authorised users of the remote control tool.

Use of an individual's PC by another person, particularly when they are not physically present, requires mutual trust which must be maintained throughout the period of use. The Code of Conduct must be followed:

Telephone contact should be established and maintained with the user throughout the session wherever possible.

The user must be asked explicitly to give permission to allow their machine to be taken over; the tool should be used only after permission has been granted.

The user must be asked to close any windows containing personal data, special category data or otherwise confidential or potentially sensitive material before their machine is taken over.
The user must be told when the remote control session has been closed, and the outcome of the work performed.
If the work was in response to a Footprints issue, the log entry should include the fact that the remote control tool was used, and whether the work was successful.