Synergetic Remote Access Policy

The Synergetic Support team relies on remote access to efficiently diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve issues within your environment.

Our standard and required tool for remote support is ScreenConnect (ConnectWise Control).

Why Synergetic Uses ScreenConnect

ScreenConnect is installed locally on our secure infrastructure and provides the fastest, most reliable way for our team to assist you.

• Rapid Issue Resolution: Support engineers can access servers and workstations directly to inspect logs, apply fixes, and resolve ticket escalations without unnecessary back-and-forth.

• Interactive Guidance: Allows support staff to share screens with school staff for guided assistance and training.

• Secure File Transfer: Facilitates direct, safe transfer of updates, diagnostic logs, and patches.

• Complete Audit Logs: Every session is logged, recording exactly who accessed the system and when.

Access Methods: Servers vs. Workstations

ScreenConnect handles server-level administrative work and individual user workstation support seamlessly:

1. Client Server Access

During system setup, a lightweight background service is installed on the server hosting Synergetic. This allows our team to securely log in to perform updates, maintenance, and backend troubleshooting. The server sends a tiny keep-alive packet over HTTPS when not actively in a session.

2. Client Workstation Access (Ad-Hoc Support)

For issues occurring on an individual user's machine, support staff will send an email invitation or generate a session code.

After clicking the link or entering the code at our remote access portal, a temporary client application downloads and runs to initiate the session. Once the support session ends, this application removes itself automatically, leaving no permanent software behind on the workstation.

What Are the Costs?

Synergetic provides this remote access service to clients at no additional cost. There are no installation, ongoing maintenance, or licensing fees passed on to your school.

Security and Network Specifications

ScreenConnect meets strict enterprise security standards:

• Encryption: All connections use end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption via standard HTTPS.

• Direct Architecture: Data flows directly between client endpoints and our remote access server.

• Network Scoping: Access is strictly limited to the specific servers or workstations participating in the support session, avoiding broad network access.

• Firewall Requirements: Outgoing ports 80 and 443 must be open to connect.educationhorizons.com (40.82.213.163). Please ensure connect.educationhorizons.com is whitelisted in your firewall or proxy filter (such as CyberHound).

Coexistence with Existing Systems

The Synergetic remote access system works alongside your existing VPN and network setup. There is no requirement to replace or modify your current remote access infrastructure to run ScreenConnect.

School Control Options

We recognise that some IT teams prefer active control over when external vendors access their infrastructure. You can manage access locally while still using our standard tool:

Manual Service Control (On-Demand Server Access)

If your school policy prohibits continuous unattended vendor access on servers, you can keep the ScreenConnect background service disabled by default.

When you raise a support ticket requiring server-side investigation, your IT team simply enables the service for the duration of the job and disables it once the ticket is resolved.

Jump Server

If your school's security policy does not permit ScreenConnect on production servers, Synergetic can use a jump server as an alternative.

ScreenConnect is installed only on a designated school-managed jump server. Our support team connects to the jump server and accesses authorised systems from there using the permissions provided by your IT team.

Security Concerns & Direct Consultation

ScreenConnect remains our standard operational tool across all supported clients to guarantee fast, efficient support response times.

If your IT or security team has specific compliance queries, firewall considerations, or concerns regarding ScreenConnect, please contact your School Success Manager. We are happy to arrange a direct discussion with our technical team to review your requirements, address your security questions, and ensure a smooth support experience.