KB26812 - Pulse Secure client does not auto-launch when both WSAM and Pulse are enabled and set to auto-launch

Pulse Secure client does not auto-launch even when both WSAM and Pulse are enabled and set to auto-launch. When both Pulse Secure client and WSAM features are enabled for a role, only the Pulse Secure client features will be displayed on the user access page. This article provides a workaround for this issue.

The firmware code used on the PCS device device is 7.2Rx and later, with Pulse Secure client version 3.0 and later.  Pulse Secure client and WSAM features are enabled under a role and auto-launch is enabled for both. When connecting to the SSL gateway, neither Pulse nor WSAM application is launched automatically, and user is re-directed to the user access page where only the Pulse option is available.

This behavior is not evident on firmware code earlier than 7.2Rx or Pulse client earlier than 3.0Rx, where WSAM is launched automatically and both the options are available on the user access page for the same specifications.

Firmware code 7.2 and later:



 

Pulse Secure client (along with VPN tunneling) and WSAM enabled for the user role:

 

 

Auto-launch enabled for Pulse:

 

Auto-launch enabled for WSAM:

 

None of the features launched automatically and only the Pulse option is available on User access page:

 

For Firmware Code earlier than 7.2RX:

 

Pulse Secure client and WSAM enabled for the role and Auto-launch enabled for both:

 

WSAM is automatically launched when connecting to the Gateway:

 

Both WSAM and Pulse are displayed on the user access page:

 

Starting with release 7.2 / 3.0, Junos Pulse provides a unified client interface to remote users, regardless of whether or not they are enabled for full VPN access or application-specific WSAM access. It also removes the complexity from remote network connectivity by enabling the appropriate form of access control, depending upon the user’s role and administrator-configured policies.

Hence, when you have both Junos Pulse and WSAM features enabled for a role, only the Junos Pulse features would be displayed on the user access page. However,  the user would be able to access even the WSAM resources through the same Pulse application.

If you enable auto-launch for both WSAM as well as Pulse feature, none of them would be auto-launched for the user and only Pulse feature would be displayed on the user access page; this is an expected behavior.

In order to have the Pulse feature auto-launched we need to:

•  Enable auto-launch feature for Pulse client and disable it for WSAM OR
•  Disable the VPN tunneling option on the user role (Only WSAM access would be allowed)

VPN tunneling disabled for User role in 7.2:

Pulse is autolaunched:

Pulse Tunnel Type is WSAM: