My RDP session disconnects unexpectedly
RDP sessions are long-lived TCP / WebSocket connections. A drop can be caused at any of four layers.
Ordered checks
- Your local network. Try a different network (e.g., phone hotspot) to isolate a Wi-Fi / VPN issue on your side.
- Idle timeout. If your browser tab was idle for longer than the org's idle-timeout policy (default 15 min), VaultPAM ends the session. Launch a new session from the Safe.
- Session TTL. Some Safes enforce a maximum session length (default 4 hours). The session ends when the TTL elapses — re-launch if your policy allows.
- Connector health. If the Connector routing to the target went offline, the session drops. Check Connectors in the dashboard; if offline, see My connector is offline.
- Target server side. The Windows host may have rebooted, patched, or changed its RDP listener. Confirm out-of-band.
Recording survives a drop
A mid-session disconnect does NOT lose the recording — it is finalised at the last good frame, with the disconnect event logged. You can still open it in Sessions → pick session → Play.
Re-launching
Simply click Launch Session again on the Safe. If approval is required, you may hit a new approval gate — most orgs configure an "approval cool-down" of a few minutes so brief reconnects do not re-trigger approval.