MeshCentral

What is MeshCentral?

MeshCentral is a full-featured, open source remote management platform that allows you to control computers and devices from anywhere. It's a modern web-based alternative to traditional remote desktop solutions.

With MeshCentral, you can manage Windows, Linux, and macOS systems through a secure web interface without requiring VPNs or complex firewall configurations.

Key Features

Remote Desktop

Full remote desktop control with keyboard, mouse, and clipboard sharing. Supports multiple monitors and high-performance remote graphics.

Terminal Access

Secure terminal access for Linux and macOS systems with full shell capabilities, command history, and file system navigation.

File Transfer

Secure file transfer between local machine and remote devices with drag-and-drop interface and support for large files.

IT Administration

Comprehensive IT administration tools including software deployment, system monitoring, event log viewing, and power management.

Our Expertise

At Defilippo, we have extensive experience implementing MeshCentral solutions for various environments:

Enterprise Deployment: Scalable MeshCentral installations for large organizations
Security Hardening: Implementation of best security practices and authentication methods
Custom Integration: Integration with existing IT management systems and directories
High Availability: Deployment of redundant MeshCentral servers for business continuity
Automated Deployment: Scripted agent deployment across large networks
Training & Support: Comprehensive training for IT teams and ongoing technical support

Implementation Scenarios

Educational Institutions

Implementation of MeshCentral for managing computer labs and remote learning environments:

Remote support for students and teachers
Classroom management and monitoring
Software deployment across multiple labs
Secure access from any location

Enterprise IT Support

Remote support solutions for corporate environments:

Help desk support for remote employees
IT administration of distributed offices
Compliance with security policies
Integration with ticketing systems

Integration with Univention UCS

MeshCentral supports LDAP authentication for both users and computer groups. By integrating with Univention Corporate Server (UCS), the centralized LDAP-based identity management system, you can automate access management and computer group assignment.

How the integration works

Thanks to MeshCentral's native LDAP support, Univention UCS can:

Provide centralized user authentication via LDAP/Active Directory
Automatically synchronize computer groups based on LDAP groups
Manage administrator roles and permissions based on LDAP group membership
Enable Single Sign-On for IT administrators
Automate group creation in MeshCentral based on LDAP Organizational Units (OUs)

This integration enables centralized identity governance while maintaining granular control over remote computer management.

Integration benefits

Centralized Identity Management

Users and groups are managed in a single console (UCS), eliminating account duplication and ensuring consistent access permissions.

Computer Group Automation

Automatic creation of computer groups in MeshCentral based on LDAP groups, with dynamic computer assignment.

Security & Compliance

LDAP-based access controls ensure only authorized users can manage specific computers, with full activity auditing.

Real-time Synchronization

Changes made in UCS (new users, group changes) are immediately reflected in MeshCentral.

Implementation Details

Technical components of the integration

MeshCentral LDAP Configuration: Settings to connect to UCS LDAP server, attribute mapping (uid, cn, mail, memberOf), search and bind configuration
Computer group synchronization: Configuration that maps LDAP groups to computer groups in MeshCentral, with filtering options based on OUs or custom attributes
Roles and permissions: Mapping between LDAP roles (e.g., "admin", "helpdesk", "user") and remote management permissions in MeshCentral (full control, view only, etc.)
Script automation: Python scripts that use UCS API to create LDAP groups and automatically propagate them to MeshCentral via dynamic LDAP configuration

Typical integration workflow

Configuration of LDAP connection in MeshCentral to UCS server
Definition of mappings between LDAP groups and computer groups in MeshCentral
Creation of a new organizational unit (OU) in UCS for a department (e.g., "Sales")
Users assigned to the "Sales" OU automatically gain access to the "Sales" computer group in MeshCentral
Computers added to the UCS domain in the same OU automatically become visible in the corresponding group
Membership changes (user additions/removals) are immediately reflected in access permissions

This integration also supports advanced scenarios such as Single Sign-On for IT administrators, bidirectional attribute synchronization, and integration with ticketing systems for request-based access management.