Last updated on February 1, 2021
How to Use the Parallels HTML5 Client
First of all, what is the Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) HTML5 Gateway? The HTML5 Client is part of the RAS Secure Client Gateway and provides users access to Windows applications and desktops from a web browser.
The Parallels HTML5 Client has been developed using only HTML5 technologies; this makes it a very fast, stable, and 100% device-independent alternative to native clients.
Using the HTML5 Client, there is no need for any installation or configuration. This is a key benefit, as it reduces the administrator’s touch points while increasing the deployment time. Another advantage to using the HTML5 Client is that access to your work environment is made incredibly easy! You can access your work environment from literally anywhere with an Internet connection, without the need for any specific device or setup. Users also have unified access to applications, desktops, and data securely though HTTPS.
This how-to guide is divided into two parts: the administrator’s perspective and the end user’s perspective. The administrator’s perspective focuses on the configuration and settings needed for the HTML5 Client to properly operate, since, as part of the Secure Client Gateway, the HTML5 Client needs to be implemented using the Parallels RAS Console. The end user’s perspective explains how to connect and use the HTML5 Client.
Setting Up the Parallels HTML5 Client
Enabling HTML5
As mentioned above, the HTML5 Client is part of the Secure Client Gateway. Therefore, we need to use the Parallels RAS Console to set up and enable the HTML5 Client.
Setting up the HTML5 Client is simple. It can be done in three different ways: when adding a Secure Client Gateway to the farm, you can automatically add the HTML5 Gateway; you can enable the HTML5 Client when adding a Publishing Agent to the farm; or you can manually enable the HTML5 Client after the Secure Client Gateways are added. Each of these methods will be explained further below.
The first approach is adding the HTML5 Gateway when initially adding a Secure Client Gateway to the site. You can enable the Add an SSL certificate and enable HTML5 Gateway checkbox. This automatically creates an SSL certificate and enables the default settings for HTML5. You can immediately use the HTML5 Client once the RAS Secure Client Gateway has successfully been added to the site.
The second option when adding a RAS Publishing Agent, you can also automatically add a Gateway to the site, which means that you can also activate the HTML5 Gateway immediately. This can be done by first enabling the Install a gateway with a publishing agent and then checking the Add an SSL certificate and enable HTML5 Gateway checkbox. Then, upon adding the RAS Publishing Agent to the site, you will also be adding a RAS Secure Client Gateway as well as enabling the HTML5 Gateway.
Finally, we have the manual activation of the HTML5 Gateway, which only comes into play when the checkboxes that automatically create an SSL certificate and enable HTML5 are left unchecked.
The first step to manually activate the HTML5 Gateway is to navigate your way to the Gateway section under the site you would like to amend.
Select the Gateway you would like to add the HTML5 Gateway to, right-click, and select Properties.
Another dialogue box will appear; select the SSL/TLS tab. Check the Enable SSL on Port checkbox. Now you can either generate a new self-signed certificate, or you may opt to generate a new certificate request to be sent to a Certificate Authority. If the generated certificate is not using a Certificate Authority, the users connecting via the HTML5 Client may receive a prompt on their browser stating that the site they are about to enter may be unsafe. You can find more information in the ‘Enabling SSL Encryption on a RAS Secure Client Gateway’ section in our Administrator’s Guide.
Click on the respective button to open up another dialogue box.
Once you have considered the options and selected the method you would like to use, fill in all the details shown in the image above, and then click on the Save button.
If you have chosen to generate a new certificate request to be sent to a Certificate Authority, then the certificate request is provided as shown above.
Next, check the Enable HTML5 Connectivity checkbox to enable the HTML5 Gateway. The URL to access the HTML5 portal is also shown.
HTML5 Configuration
As of Parallels RAS v15.5, you can make use of the Parallels Client within the HTML5 Gateway itself, and you can also embed the Web Client into other web pages. This is for users who would like to use the RemoteFX feature, which provides users with a more enhanced display, with their applications.
Using this new feature, you can give the user the option to choose between using the native HTML5 Client and downloading the Parallels Client, or you can force the option yourself as an administrator. Below you will find an explanation of each option in the Launch session using: combo box:
- Launch apps in browser only—The Parallels Client is not needed, and all the applications are opened natively using HTML5.
- Launch apps with Parallels Client—The Parallels Client needs to be installed in order to use the applications.
- Launch apps with Parallels Client & Fallback to HTML5—You will able to leave both options available for the user. This means that if the Parallels Client is installed, the applications will be launched using the Parallels Client. If the Parallels Client is not installed, the applications will automatically use the native HTML5 technology to access the applications.
Connecting to the HTML5 Client
We will now go through the process of connecting and using the Parallels Client.
Once you have the link to access the HTML5 Gateway, open your HTML5-compatible browser and enter the link in the address bar. The link may be provided by your administrator, or alternatively, you may receive an invitation email that contains the link.
Enter your domain user credentials, as shown above. Then click on the Login button.
Once you log in, you will see the above popup box. The HTML5 Gateway is simply checking to see if the Parallels Client is installed on the device.
If the Parallels Client is not detected, then you will see the above popup box. The box content may vary, according to the administrator’s configuration. In this scenario, the end user can use both HTML5 and the Parallels Client.
If you would like to use your desktops and applications from the browser directly, click on Open in Parallels HTML5 Client. Another option is to click on the Always open in Parallels HTML5 Client to always use the published applications and desktops using the HTML5 Client.
Alternatively, if you would like to use the HTML5 Client alongside the Parallels Client, you can easily install the Parallels Client by clicking on the Install Parallels Client hyperlink. You will then see the above popup box that easily helps the end user install the Parallels Client.
Once you have chosen your preferred option to open applications, you will see all the available applications and desktops. To open a published application or desktop, simply double-click on the icon— yes, it’s as easy as that!
