A user reported a recurring error affecting nearly all their ControlUp monitors, showing the message "Disconnected from cluster, coordinator is not available." They had already followed the troubleshooting steps outlined on the official ControlUp support page regarding this error, including running TCP connectivity tests, which passed successfully. Despite these measures, the issue persisted, and rebooting the servers hosting the monitors was not an option due to operational constraints. However, restarting the ControlUp services on the affected machines was performed.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that although one monitor appeared active, it was actually detached from the cluster and not functioning properly. This suggested a deeper connectivity or network issue affecting cluster coordination. Community experts advised opening a formal support ticket to enable more detailed diagnosis and direct assistance from ControlUp engineers. It was also noted that no widespread issues were detected in other customer environments, indicating the problem was likely specific to the user's setup.
Support engagement began with the user relaying that most monitors had their services restarted, except for the cluster master monitor which was seemingly stuck. Once the service on the cluster master was also restarted, all monitors returned to normal operation. The support engineer recommended creating a dedicated cluster master host, especially for environments with eight or more monitors, to improve stability and performance of the ControlUp monitoring cluster. Setting up cluster masters in a designated site (such as the default site) is a best practice to avoid similar coordination issues.
Finally, the user was advised to open a formal support ticket to receive tailored guidance on configuring and optimizing their monitoring architecture. They proceeded to contact ControlUp support for case creation. This case underscores the importance of monitoring service health on cluster master monitors and the value of dedicated master nodes in larger ControlUp environments. For detailed troubleshooting steps related to this error, consult ControlUp’s official support article at https://support.controlup.com/docs/monitor-error-disconnected-from-cluster-coordinator-is-not-available.
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ControlUp Community Training & Support Archives
All training and support-related archives from inside the ControlUp Community on Slack.
Automating Quarterly VDI “Unique Users” Reports with ControlUp Workflows and Custom SQL Queries
A common request in VDI environments is automating the generation and distribution of quarterly reports that include metrics such as "Unique Users" along with detailed user session data. One such use case involves producing an Excel (CSV/XLSX) report that captures the list of users who logged into the VDI environment during the previous quarter and sending it automatically to management via email.
ControlUp does not offer a direct, out-of-the-box report that automates this exact task with both unique user counts and full session data in one export, nor does it natively support emailing such reports on a quarterly schedule through the product UI alone. However, this requirement can be addressed using ControlUp’s extensibility and automation features, particularly by leveraging ControlUp Workflows and custom SQL queries within the ControlUp Insights platform.
One practical implementation involves creating a custom SQL query that extracts user session activity data—such as usernames and counts of sessions per user over the desired interval. This query can be run on a schedule aligned to quarters. The results are then exported into Excel format using the Microsoft Excel integration available within ControlUp Workflows. An automated workflow can then use the Microsoft Outlook integration to send the generated report via email to predefined recipients at the beginning of each quarter, with the data covering the previous quarter.
A useful example comes from a community user who adapted the "Device Inventory Report to Email" workflow template for their use case. They included a custom SQL query to capture user session activity over the last set number of days, generating a report of users and their session counts. This workflow creates a document (Excel file) and attaches it in an email sent automatically to recipients whose addresses are stored in a global variable, enabling easy customization of distribution lists. This approach requires the integrations of ControlUp for VDI, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Outlook to function smoothly.
While this method does not currently exist as a pre-built ControlUp dashboard or report that directly sends emails on a quarterly schedule, using the powerful combination of custom SQL queries, Workflows automation, and Office integration provides a viable and robust solution. For organizations that cannot utilize AI assistance due to policy restrictions, this approach offers a fully scriptable, controlled, and customizable method to achieve the quarterly "Unique Users" report and distribution goal without manual intervention.
ControlUp customers interested in implementing such solutions can explore the ControlUp Workflows feature, the SQL Query Editor in ControlUp Insights, and the email and Excel integrations detailed in the ControlUp documentation and the ControlUp Academy tutorials at https://academy.controlup.com. Additionally, the official workflow templates available in the ControlUp Console or downloadable from the ControlUp community can form a good starting point for customization.
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Analyzing User Login Time Trends Using ControlUp’s Session Activity Report and AI Tools
Analyzing login time trends for a large number of users over a specific period can be efficiently accomplished using ControlUp's Session Activity report. This report provides detailed historical data on user sessions, including logon durations, which are essential for identifying performance trends.
**Accessing and Exporting Session Activity Data**
To begin, navigate to the Session Activity report within ControlUp. This report offers various grid presets, such as Session Activity, Session Resources, and Session UX, each displaying different metrics related to user sessions. For analyzing login times, the Session Activity preset is most relevant. ([support.controlup.com](https://support.controlup.com/docs/user-sessions-activity-report?utm_source=openai))
Once you've selected the appropriate preset, you can export the data to a CSV file for further analysis. Click the download icon at the top-right corner of the report page to open the Export Report window. Choose CSV as the format and specify the desired time range. After configuring the export settings, click Download to generate the CSV file. ([support.controlup.com](https://support.controlup.com/docs/export-to-csv?utm_source=openai))
**Analyzing Login Time Trends**
With the exported CSV file containing session data, you can analyze login time trends using various tools. For instance, importing the CSV into AI platforms like Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT can facilitate the analysis of logon duration trends over the past weeks. These AI tools can process the data and provide insights into performance patterns, helping to identify any anomalies or areas for improvement.
**Utilizing ControlUp's AI Assistant**
Alternatively, ControlUp offers an AI Assistant integrated into its platform, designed to assist with IT operations tasks. This AI Assistant can interpret natural language queries and execute complex actions, such as analyzing performance metrics and generating reports. By leveraging this feature, you can streamline the process of monitoring and analyzing login times for multiple users. ([support.controlup.com](https://support.controlup.com/docs/ai-assistant?utm_source=openai))
By following these steps, you can effectively monitor and analyze login time trends for a large user base, enabling proactive management of user experience and system performance.
## Highlights:
- [ControlUp snaps up Unipath to broaden AI capabilities](https://www.itpro.com/business/acquisition/controlup-snaps-up-unipath-to-broaden-ai-capabilities?utm_source=openai), Published on Monday, February 02
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Resolving Device Registration Failures Using Intune Script and ControlUp’s Tracking Dashboard
A recent user shared an effective method to troubleshoot and resolve device registration failures detected via the Device Registration Failure Tracking Dashboard in ControlUp. The issue typically manifests when endpoints fail to register correctly, possibly due to mismatched or outdated registration codes that prevent successful detection and installation of necessary software components.
The solution revolves around a PowerShell script (PS1) used within an Intune Script and Remediation framework paired with a Win32 application deployment set as a required install. This script checks if the device's registration code matches the expected value—defined by modifying a single variable ($ExpectedRegCode) in the script. If the detected registration code does not match, the script initiates an uninstall command to remove existing components causing conflicts. It subsequently restarts the Intune Management Extension service to trigger a forced synchronization and installation of the latest published application version. This approach ensures that devices automatically correct registration code discrepancies by clearing stale state and obtaining the correct app package and registration anew.
This method leverages ControlUp’s Device Registration Failure Tracking Dashboard to pinpoint affected endpoints quickly, making remediation targeted and efficient. It is particularly useful in environments managed by Microsoft Intune, where automated script remediation helps maintain compliance and consistency of Win32 app deployments tied to device registration status.
Administrators planning to apply this solution should customize the $ExpectedRegCode variable within the script to reflect their environment’s correct registration string. The process assumes familiarity with Intune’s Script and Remediation capabilities and Win32 app deployment mechanics. ControlUp documentation and Microsoft’s official Intune script remediation guides provide valuable context for further customization and expansion of this workflow.
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How to Refresh Service and Application Data On-Demand in ControlUp
A common challenge faced by ControlUp users involves timely updating of endpoint data, especially when tracking specific services or applications. In one case, a user wanted to confirm the removal of a service on endpoints but found that ControlUp still reported the service as running despite manual removal. This discrepancy occurs because the ControlUp agent updates different types of metrics at varied intervals. Core system metrics typically refresh every 60 seconds, but certain metrics such as service status and installed applications are updated less frequently—services refresh hourly (and shortly after a system reboot), while installed applications update only once per day.
This update schedule means that relying solely on on-demand refresh within ControlUp for some metrics is limited, as there is no built-in immediate refresh capability for services or installed apps. To overcome this, users can create a Custom Action script to gather the needed data on-demand. By scripting, users can query the current service status or application state directly from the endpoints and write the results to a custom data index in ControlUp. This approach provides a precise and immediate reflection of endpoint conditions without waiting for the default agent update cycle.
ControlUp’s scripting capabilities are documented in detail in the official scripting guide, available at https://support.controlup.com/docs/scripting-guide. This guide helps users build custom scripts that integrate into ControlUp workflows, enabling on-demand data collection tailored to specific monitoring or troubleshooting needs.
As of now, no direct feature exists within ControlUp to force an on-demand refresh of hourly or daily metrics such as service and installed app status, but leveraging Custom Action scripts offers an effective workaround. Users looking to improve real-time monitoring of endpoint services should consider implementing these custom scripted solutions until such features potentially appear on future ControlUp development roadmaps.
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Understanding and Configuring the Location Field for Citrix Cloud Sessions in ControlUp
In ControlUp's Sessions view, the Location field may appear blank even when session information like Client IP is correctly populated. This is because the Location column is specifically linked to Citrix Cloud environments and represents the "resource location" of Citrix Cloud Sessions, not the client's geographic location or data coming from Remote DX. The field corresponds to the `CitrixCloudColumns.Location` attribute in the ControlUp schema, which pulls its data from Citrix Monitor OData through the ControlUp Citrix Cloud EUC connection.
For Citrix Cloud users, ensuring the Location field populates requires that resource locations be properly configured and assigned within the Citrix Cloud administrative portal. Administrators should verify that their resource locations are defined in the Citrix Cloud admin portal under Resource Locations and that these are correctly associated with their sessions and resources. Without proper resource location assignment, ControlUp cannot display this information in the Location column.
This functionality is specific to Citrix Cloud and does not apply to on-premises Citrix deployments or other remote services. It also does not derive from ControlUp Remote DX or other integrations; rather, it depends strictly on the integration between ControlUp and Citrix Cloud session data via the Citrix Monitor OData feed.
To summarize, if the Location field is blank in ControlUp for Citrix sessions, the key step is to confirm that resource locations are configured and assigned within the Citrix Cloud portal. Proper configuration ensures that ControlUp can retrieve and display the location data as intended.
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Changes to Default Filters for Synthetic Monitoring Scouts in ControlUp and How to Manage Disabled Scouts
ControlUp made a recent change to the default filter behavior for synthetic monitoring scouts within their platform. Previously, scouts that were disabled via workflows, such as those scheduled to run only certain times of the day, still appeared in the default Scouts view. With the update, disabled scouts no longer show up under the default filter, effectively narrowing the default display to only active scouts. This change was implemented to provide users with a clearer and less cluttered view focused on currently running synthetic monitoring instances.
As a result, users with scouts enabled and disabled dynamically through workflows may need to manually adjust their filters to locate and manage disabled scouts. Specifically, to view scouts that are currently disabled, users must explicitly apply a filter that includes non-active scouts since they will no longer appear by default.
This adjustment aims to improve user experience by reducing confusion and improving table clarity when managing synthetic monitoring. Users are encouraged to provide feedback to ControlUp if this change affects their workflow or if they have suggestions for further improvements. For additional configuration tips about synthetic monitoring scouts and filters, users can refer to the ControlUp official documentation and knowledge base at https://docs.controlup.com.
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Overcoming the 100-Device Limit in ControlUp Workflow’s List Devices Node
The ControlUp Workflow *List Devices* node has a built-in limit of returning only 100 device records per query. This limitation affects workflows attempting to process larger device inventories, such as fetching or looping through over 100 devices. The loop node itself does not have a limit and processes all records provided by the *List Devices* node. Therefore, the root cause of the problem is the *List Devices* node restricting the dataset to 100 devices, not the loop processing.
Users trying to obtain results for 500 or more devices found that the *List Devices* node response capped at 100, blocking workflows from scaling to larger environments. Currently, no filters or tags applied change this default limit on the *List Devices* node response. This cap is separate from volume limits related to data size, such as the 1GB flow size limit.
As a recommended workaround to bypass this 100-device limit, users can employ the *Get Custom Data* node to execute custom Data Access Layer (DAL) queries. By enabling the "Get all records" option in this node, workflows can retrieve all devices in the organization without the 100-device limitation. This method was tested successfully with over 400 tagged devices, confirming its viability for larger inventories.
ControlUp representatives acknowledged the 100-device limit in the *List Devices* node and indicated plans to consider removing or adjusting this restriction in future updates. Until then, users needing to work with more than 100 devices in workflows should use custom DAL queries via *Get Custom Data* as the primary method to retrieve full device lists.
For further details, users may consult the ControlUp Knowledge Base and official documentation on Workflows and DAL queries at https://docs.controlup.com. The *Get Custom Data* node and its "Get all records" feature provide a powerful alternative for advanced workflow scenarios that require comprehensive device data beyond the standard node limits.
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Handling Script Failures and Output in ControlUp Workflows: Error Ignoring, Conditional Logic, and Feature Updates
In a ControlUp workflow, users may want to handle script failures gracefully, akin to a "try-catch" mechanism seen in traditional programming. A user inquired about running an alternative action when a script run on a device fails. Currently, if the script fails, the workflow ends with an error, and no subsequent action is triggered automatically. The recommended approach is to use the "Ignore Error" option on the "Run Script" node, which prevents the workflow from stopping on error. Afterward, an "If Else" node can be added to check the status of the "Run Script" node and conditionally execute alternative actions based on success or failure. This method enables branching logic without halting the workflow.
A related challenge encountered was handling multiline output messages from scripts. The native ControlUp environment does not currently support converting multiline output into a single line with or without explicit newline characters such as "\n". The ControlUp team acknowledged this need and plans to introduce this string transformation functionality soon, with expectations for release within a week. While this feature is pending, custom scripting or intermediate handling outside ControlUp might be required to process multiline outputs.
Users also raised the idea of more advanced scripting capabilities within workflows, such as embedding secure, sandboxed JavaScript actions or subflows callable like functions. The team confirmed interest in this concept but noted that it is not currently on the immediate roadmap and will require future prioritization.
Finally, a limitation was noted: timeout errors from script execution (defaulting to 60 minutes) cannot be ignored by the "Ignore Error" setting; when a script times out, the workflow fails by design. The ControlUp team is investigating possible improvements to how timeouts are handled in workflows.
For now, users can implement error handling in workflows using the "Ignore Error" flag combined with conditional checks but should be aware of limitations around timeout errors and multiline output processing. Updates and added features are in development to enhance workflow flexibility and scripting capabilities. For more details on creating and managing workflows, users can visit the official ControlUp documentation at https://docs.controlup.com or the ControlUp Academy at https://cuacademy.controlup.com.
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Compatibility and Installation Improvements in ControlUp Mac Agent Manager 2.18 for macOS 26 and 27
ControlUp recently released an update to the Mac Agent Manager with version 2.18.4.4107, officially supporting macOS 27. This release introduces the Mac Agent version 2.18, which addresses installation issues specific to macOS 27. One notable change is the distribution format of the Mac Agent Manager installer; it has shifted from a.dmg file to a.pkg file. This update resolves a problem where the tenant information step failed to appear during manual fresh installations on macOS 27.
A common question during this update rollout was whether the new.pkg installer is compatible exclusively with macOS 27 or if it also supports earlier versions, such as macOS 26.x.x and below. The confirmation from the ControlUp team clarified that the new.pkg installer works with macOS 26 as well, ensuring backward compatibility with previous macOS versions. This means that organizations using macOS 26 or earlier can upgrade their ControlUp Mac Agent to leverage the improvements without needing to alter their operating system environment.
For users managing ControlUp deployments in mixed macOS environments, this installer update simplifies the installation process by standardizing on the.pkg format while maintaining support for multiple macOS versions. It also enhances installation reliability on macOS 27, which may have encountered issues with the previous.dmg-based installer.
For detailed instructions and additional deployment considerations, refer to the official ControlUp documentation and resources at https://docs.controlup.com and the ControlUp Academy at https://cuacademy.controlup.com.
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