Windows Active Directory Group Policy contains Session Timeout settings that can be used in a Pano VDS environment to help manage users and resources. These Session Timeout settings end both disconnected and idle sessions:
Disconnected Timeouts are particularly useful for Pano users as they can use the Pano button to disconnect the device from their DVM. This feature enable users to secure their desktop when they walk away or roam to another office or conference room to pick up their session on another Pano device. The problem is that these disconnected but active sessions could be running for hours or days if the user is away from the office.
A disconnected timeout can be used to automatically log out the user (kill their session) after a specified period of time passes after pressing the Pano button. This time can be set long enough to enable instant Pano device mobility around the office without keeping the DVM running for days with no use. The Pano device will then simply present a user login.
Session Idle Timeout can be used as a replacement for pressing the Pano button to disconnect and then logout when not in use. A time can be specified where if there is no keyboard or mouse movement, the user will be disconnected from their session and logged out, effectively killing their session. The Pano device returns to the Pano client login screen, ready for the next user.
The problem is that there is a Windows XP bug 890864 that prevents Windows XP from properly handling and applying Windows XP Disconnected Session timeouts. Fortunately, there is a fix available that resolves the following:
Install the Windows XP hotfix, if your virtual machines don’t have Windows XP SP3. Windows XP SP3 includes this fix.