# GuruConnect Requirements Gap Analysis

**Analysis Date:** 2026-01-17
**Project:** GuruConnect Remote Desktop Solution
**Current Phase:** Infrastructure Complete, Feature Implementation ~30%

---

## Executive Summary

GuruConnect has **solid infrastructure** (WebSocket relay, protobuf protocol, database, authentication) but is **missing critical user-facing features** needed for launch. The project is approximately **30-35% complete** toward Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

**Key Findings:**
- Infrastructure: 90% complete
- Core features (screen sharing, input): 50% complete
- Critical MSP features (clipboard, file transfer, CMD/PowerShell): 0% complete
- End-user portal: 0% complete (LAUNCH BLOCKER)
- Dashboard UI: 40% complete
- Installer builder: 0% complete (MSP DEPLOYMENT BLOCKER)

**Estimated time to MVP:** 8-12 weeks with focused development

---

## 1. Feature Implementation Matrix

### Legend
- **Status:** Complete, Partial, Missing, Not Started
- **Priority:** Critical (MVP blocker), High (needed for launch), Medium (competitive feature), Low (nice to have)
- **Effort:** Quick Win (< 1 week), Medium (1-2 weeks), Hard (2-4 weeks), Very Hard (4+ weeks)

| Feature Category | Requirement | Status | Priority | Effort | Notes |
|-----------------|-------------|--------|----------|--------|-------|
| **Infrastructure** |
| WebSocket relay server | Relay agent/viewer frames | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Protobuf protocol | Complete message definitions | Complete | Critical | - | Comprehensive |
| Agent WebSocket client | Connect to server | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| JWT authentication | Dashboard login | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Database persistence | Machines, sessions, events | Complete | Critical | - | PostgreSQL with migrations |
| Session management | Track active sessions | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| **Support Sessions (One-Time)** |
| Support code generation | 6-digit codes | Complete | Critical | - | API works |
| Code validation | Validate code, return session | Complete | Critical | - | API works |
| Code status tracking | pending/connected/completed | Complete | Critical | - | Database tracked |
| Link codes to sessions | Code -> agent connection | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | Marked [~] in TODO |
| **End-User Portal** | | | | |
| Support code entry page | Web form for code entry | Missing | Critical | Medium | LAUNCH BLOCKER - no portal exists |
| Custom protocol handler | guruconnect:// launch | Missing | Critical | Medium | Protocol handler registration unclear |
| Auto-download agent | Fallback if protocol fails | Missing | Critical | Hard | One-time EXE download |
| Browser-specific instructions | Chrome/Firefox/Edge guidance | Missing | High | Quick Win | Simple HTML/JS |
| Support code in download URL | Embed code in downloaded agent | Missing | High | Quick Win | Server-side generation |
| **Screen Viewing** |
| DXGI screen capture | Hardware-accelerated capture | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| GDI fallback capture | Software capture | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Web canvas viewer | Browser-based viewer | Partial | Critical | Medium | Basic component exists, needs integration |
| Frame compression | Zstd compression | Complete | High | - | In protocol |
| Frame relay | Server relays frames | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Multi-monitor enumeration | Detect all displays | Partial | High | Quick Win | enumerate_displays() exists |
| Multi-monitor switching | Switch between displays | Missing | High | Medium | UI + protocol wiring |
| Dirty rectangle optimization | Only send changed regions | Missing | Medium | Medium | In protocol, not implemented |
| **Remote Control** |
| Mouse event capture (viewer) | Capture mouse in browser | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | Component exists, integration unclear |
| Mouse event relay | Viewer -> server -> agent | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | Likely just wiring |
| Mouse injection (agent) | Send mouse to OS | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Keyboard event capture (viewer) | Capture keys in browser | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | Component exists |
| Keyboard event relay | Viewer -> server -> agent | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | Likely just wiring |
| Keyboard injection (agent) | Send keys to OS | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Ctrl-Alt-Del (SAS) | Secure attention sequence | Complete | High | - | send_sas() exists |
| **Clipboard Integration** |
| Text clipboard sync | Bidirectional text | Missing | High | Medium | CRITICAL - protocol exists, no implementation |
| HTML/RTF clipboard | Rich text formats | Missing | Medium | Medium | Protocol exists |
| Image clipboard | Bitmap sync | Missing | Medium | Hard | Protocol exists |
| File clipboard | Copy/paste files | Missing | High | Hard | Protocol exists |
| Keystroke injection | Paste as keystrokes (BIOS/login) | Missing | High | Medium | Howard priority feature |
| **File Transfer** |
| File browse remote | Directory listing | Missing | High | Medium | CRITICAL - no implementation |
| Download from remote | Pull files | Missing | High | Medium | High value, relatively easy |
| Upload to remote | Push files | Missing | High | Hard | More complex (chunking) |
| Drag-and-drop support | Browser drag-drop | Missing | Medium | Hard | Nice UX but complex |
| Transfer progress | Progress bar/queue | Missing | Medium | Medium | After basic transfer works |
| **Backstage Tools** |
| Device information | OS, hostname, IP, etc. | Partial | High | Quick Win | AgentStatus exists, UI needed |
| Remote PowerShell | Execute with output stream | Missing | Critical | Medium | HOWARD'S #1 REQUEST |
| Remote CMD | Command prompt execution | Missing | Critical | Medium | Similar to PowerShell |
| PowerShell timeout controls | UI for timeout config | Missing | High | Quick Win | Howard wants checkboxes vs typing |
| Process list viewer | Show running processes | Missing | High | Medium | Windows API + UI |
| Kill process | Terminate selected process | Missing | Medium | Quick Win | After process list |
| Services list | Show Windows services | Missing | Medium | Medium | Similar to processes |
| Start/stop services | Control services | Missing | Medium | Quick Win | After service list |
| Event log viewer | View Windows event logs | Missing | Low | Hard | Complex parsing |
| Registry browser | Browse/edit registry | Missing | Low | Very Hard | Security risk, defer |
| Installed software list | Programs list | Missing | Medium | Medium | Registry or WMI query |
| System info panel | CPU, RAM, disk, uptime | Partial | Medium | Quick Win | Some data in AgentStatus |
| **Chat/Messaging** |
| Tech -> client chat | Send messages | Partial | High | Medium | Protocol + ChatController exist |
| Client -> tech chat | Receive messages | Partial | High | Medium | Same as above |
| Dashboard chat UI | Chat panel in viewer | Missing | High | Medium | Need UI component |
| Chat history | Persist/display history | Missing | Medium | Quick Win | After basic chat works |
| End-user tray "Request Support" | User initiates contact | Missing | Medium | Medium | Tray icon exists, need integration |
| Support request queue | Dashboard shows requests | Missing | Medium | Medium | After tray request |
| **Dashboard UI** |
| Technician login page | Authentication | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Support tab - session list | Show active temp sessions | Partial | Critical | Medium | Code gen exists, need full UI |
| Support tab - session detail | Detail panel with tabs | Missing | Critical | Medium | Essential for usability |
| Access tab - machine list | Show persistent agents | Partial | High | Medium | Basic list exists |
| Access tab - machine detail | Detail panel with info | Missing | High | Medium | Essential for usability |
| Access tab - grouping sidebar | By company/site/tag/OS | Missing | High | Medium | MSP workflow essential |
| Access tab - smart groups | Online, offline 30d, etc. | Missing | Medium | Medium | Helpful but not critical |
| Access tab - search/filter | Find machines | Missing | High | Medium | Essential with many machines |
| Build tab - installer builder | Custom agent builds | Missing | Critical | Very Hard | MSP DEPLOYMENT BLOCKER |
| Settings tab | Preferences, appearance | Missing | Low | Medium | Defer to post-launch |
| Real-time status updates | WebSocket dashboard updates | Partial | High | Medium | Infrastructure exists |
| Screenshot thumbnails | Preview before joining | Missing | Medium | Medium | Nice UX feature |
| Join session button | Connect to active session | Missing | Critical | Quick Win | Should be straightforward |
| **Unattended Agents** |
| Persistent agent mode | Always-on background mode | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Windows service install | Run as service | Partial | Critical | Medium | install.rs exists, unclear if complete |
| Config persistence | Save agent_id, server URL | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Machine registration | Register with server | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Heartbeat reporting | Periodic status updates | Complete | Critical | - | AgentStatus messages |
| Auto-reconnect | Reconnect on network change | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | WebSocket likely handles this |
| Agent metadata | Company, site, tags, etc. | Complete | High | - | In config and protocol |
| Custom properties | Extensible metadata | Partial | Medium | Quick Win | In protocol, UI needed |
| **Installer Builder** |
| Custom metadata fields | Company, site, dept, tag | Missing | Critical | Hard | MSP workflow requirement |
| EXE download | Download custom installer | Missing | Critical | Very Hard | Need build pipeline |
| MSI packaging | GPO deployment support | Missing | High | Very Hard | Howard wants 64-bit MSI |
| Silent install | /qn support | Missing | High | Medium | After MSI works |
| URL copy/send link | Share installer link | Missing | Medium | Quick Win | After builder exists |
| Server-built installers | On-demand generation | Missing | Critical | Very Hard | Architecture question |
| Reconfigure installed agent | --reconfigure flag | Missing | Low | Medium | Useful but defer |
| **Auto-Update** |
| Update check | Agent checks for updates | Partial | High | Medium | update.rs exists |
| Download update | Fetch new binary | Partial | High | Medium | Unclear if complete |
| Verify checksum | SHA-256 validation | Partial | High | Quick Win | Protocol has field |
| Install update | Replace binary | Missing | High | Hard | Tricky on Windows (file locks) |
| Rollback on failure | Revert to previous version | Missing | Medium | Hard | Safety feature |
| Version reporting | Agent version to server | Complete | High | - | build_info module |
| Mandatory updates | Force update immediately | Missing | Low | Quick Win | After update works |
| **Security & Compliance** |
| JWT authentication | Dashboard login | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| Argon2 password hashing | Secure password storage | Complete | Critical | - | Working |
| User management API | CRUD users | Complete | High | - | Working |
| Session audit logging | Who, when, what, duration | Complete | High | - | events table |
| MFA/2FA support | TOTP authenticator | Missing | High | Hard | Common security requirement |
| Role-based permissions | Tech, senior, admin roles | Partial | Medium | Medium | Schema exists, enforcement unclear |
| Per-client permissions | Restrict tech to clients | Missing | Medium | Medium | MSP multi-tenant need |
| Session recording | Video playback | Missing | Low | Very Hard | Compliance feature, defer |
| Command audit log | Log all commands run | Partial | Medium | Quick Win | events table exists |
| File transfer audit | Log file transfers | Missing | Medium | Quick Win | After file transfer works |
| **Agent Special Features** |
| Protocol handler registration | guruconnect:// URLs | Partial | High | Medium | install.rs, unclear if working |
| Tray icon | System tray presence | Partial | Medium | Medium | tray.rs exists |
| Tray menu | Status, exit, request support | Missing | Medium | Medium | After tray works |
| Safe mode reboot | Reboot to safe mode + networking | Missing | Medium | Hard | Malware removal feature |
| Emergency reboot | Force immediate reboot | Missing | Low | Medium | Useful but not critical |
| Wake-on-LAN | Wake offline machines | Missing | Low | Hard | Needs local relay agent |
| Self-delete (support mode) | Cleanup after one-time session | Missing | High | Medium | One-time agent requirement |
| Run without admin | User-space support sessions | Partial | Critical | Quick Win | Should work, needs testing |
| Optional elevation | Admin access when needed | Missing | High | Medium | UAC prompt + elevated mode |
| **Session Management** |
| Transfer session | Hand off to another tech | Missing | Medium | Hard | Useful collaboration feature |
| Pause/resume session | Temporary pause | Missing | Low | Medium | Nice to have |
| Session notes | Per-session documentation | Missing | Medium | Medium | Good MSP practice |
| Timeline view | Connection history | Partial | Medium | Medium | Database exists, UI needed |
| Session tags | Categorize sessions | Missing | Low | Quick Win | After basic session mgmt |
| **Integration** |
| GuruRMM integration | Shared auth, launch from RMM | Missing | Low | Hard | Future phase |
| PSA integration | HaloPSA, Autotask, CW | Missing | Low | Very Hard | Future phase |
| Standalone mode | Works without RMM | Complete | Critical | - | Current state |

---

## 2. MVP Feature Set Recommendation

To ship a **Minimum Viable Product** that MSPs can actually use, the following features are ESSENTIAL:

### ABSOLUTE MVP (cannot function without these)
1. End-user portal with support code entry
2. Auto-download one-time agent executable
3. Browser-based screen viewing (working)
4. Mouse and keyboard control (working)
5. Dashboard with session list and join capability

**Current Status:** Items 3-4 mostly done, items 1-2-5 are blockers

### CRITICAL MVP (needed for real MSP work)
6. Text clipboard sync (bidirectional)
7. File download from remote machine
8. Remote PowerShell/CMD execution with output streaming
9. Persistent agent installer (Windows service)
10. Multi-session handling (tech manages multiple sessions)

**Current Status:** Item 9 partially done, items 6-8-10 missing

### HIGH PRIORITY MVP (competitive parity)
11. Chat between tech and end user
12. Process viewer with kill capability
13. System information display
14. Installer builder with custom metadata
15. Dashboard machine grouping (by company/site)

**Current Status:** All missing except partial system info

### RECOMMENDED MVP SCOPE
Include: Items 1-14 (defer item 15 to post-launch)
Defer: MSI packaging, advanced backstage tools, session recording, mobile support
**Estimated Time:** 8-10 weeks with focused development

---

## 3. Critical Gaps That Block Launch

### LAUNCH BLOCKERS (ship-stoppers)

| Gap | Impact | Why Critical | Effort |
|-----|--------|-------------|--------|
| **No end-user portal** | Cannot ship | End users have no way to initiate support sessions. Support codes are useless without a portal to enter them. | Medium (2 weeks) |
| **No one-time agent download** | Cannot ship | The entire attended support model depends on downloading a temporary agent. Without this, only persistent agents work. | Hard (3-4 weeks) |
| **Input relay incomplete** | Barely functional | If mouse/keyboard doesn't work reliably, it's not remote control - it's just screen viewing. | Quick Win (1 week) |
| **No dashboard session list UI** | Cannot ship | Technicians can't see or join sessions. The API exists but there's no UI to use it. | Medium (2 weeks) |

**Total to unblock launch:** 8-9 weeks

### USABILITY BLOCKERS (can ship but product is barely functional)

| Gap | Impact | Why Critical | Effort |
|-----|--------|-------------|--------|
| **No clipboard sync** | Poor UX | Industry standard feature. MSPs expect to copy/paste credentials, commands, URLs between local and remote. Howard emphasized this. | Medium (2 weeks) |
| **No file transfer** | Limited utility | Essential for support work - uploading fixes, downloading logs, transferring files. Every competitor has this. | Medium (2-3 weeks) |
| **No remote CMD/PowerShell** | Deal breaker for MSPs | Howard's #1 feature request. Windows admin work requires running commands remotely. ScreenConnect has this, we must have it. | Medium (2 weeks) |
| **No installer builder** | Deployment blocker | Can't easily deploy to client machines. Manual agent setup doesn't scale. MSPs need custom installers with company/site metadata baked in. | Very Hard (4+ weeks) |

**Total to be competitive:** Additional 10-13 weeks

---

## 4. Quick Wins (High Value, Low Effort)

These features provide significant value with minimal implementation effort:

| Feature | Value | Effort | Rationale |
|---------|-------|--------|-----------|
| **Complete input relay** | Critical | 1 week | Server already relays messages. Just connect viewer input capture to WebSocket properly. |
| **Text clipboard sync** | High | 2 weeks | Protocol defined. Implement Windows clipboard API on agent, JS clipboard API in viewer. Start with text only. |
| **System info display** | Medium | 1 week | AgentStatus already collects hostname, OS, uptime. Just display it in dashboard detail panel. |
| **Basic file download** | High | 1-2 weeks | Simpler than bidirectional. Agent reads file, streams chunks, viewer saves. High MSP value. |
| **Session detail panel** | High | 1 week | Data exists (session info, machine info). Create UI component with tabs (Info, Screen, Chat, etc.). |
| **Support code in download URL** | Medium | 1 week | Server embeds code in downloaded agent filename or metadata. Agent reads it on startup. |
| **Join session button** | Critical | 3 days | Straightforward: button clicks -> JWT auth -> WebSocket connect -> viewer loads. |
| **PowerShell timeout controls** | High | 3 days | Howard specifically requested checkboxes/textboxes instead of typing timeout flags every time. |
| **Process list viewer** | Medium | 1 week | Windows API call to enumerate processes. Display in dashboard. Foundation for kill process. |
| **Chat UI integration** | Medium | 1-2 weeks | ChatController exists on agent. Protocol defined. Just create dashboard UI component and wire it up. |

**Total quick wins time:** 8-10 weeks (if done in parallel: 4-5 weeks)

---

## 5. Feature Prioritization Roadmap

### PHASE A: Make It Work (6-8 weeks)
**Goal:** Basic functional product for attended support

| Priority | Feature | Status | Effort |
|----------|---------|--------|--------|
| 1 | End-user portal (support code entry) | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 2 | One-time agent download | Missing | 3-4 weeks |
| 3 | Complete input relay (mouse/keyboard) | Partial | 1 week |
| 4 | Dashboard session list UI | Partial | 2 weeks |
| 5 | Session detail panel with tabs | Missing | 1 week |
| 6 | Join session functionality | Missing | 3 days |

**Deliverable:** MSP can generate support code, end user can connect, tech can view screen and control remotely.

### PHASE B: Make It Useful (6-8 weeks)
**Goal:** Competitive for real support work

| Priority | Feature | Status | Effort |
|----------|---------|--------|--------|
| 7 | Text clipboard sync (bidirectional) | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 8 | Remote PowerShell execution | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 9 | PowerShell timeout controls | Missing | 3 days |
| 10 | Basic file download | Missing | 1-2 weeks |
| 11 | Process list viewer | Missing | 1 week |
| 12 | System information display | Partial | 1 week |
| 13 | Chat UI in dashboard | Missing | 1-2 weeks |
| 14 | Multi-monitor support | Missing | 2 weeks |

**Deliverable:** Full-featured support tool competitive with ScreenConnect for attended sessions.

### PHASE C: Make It Production (8-10 weeks)
**Goal:** Complete MSP solution with deployment tools

| Priority | Feature | Status | Effort |
|----------|---------|--------|--------|
| 15 | Persistent agent Windows service | Partial | 2 weeks |
| 16 | Installer builder (custom EXE) | Missing | 4 weeks |
| 17 | Dashboard machine grouping | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 18 | Search and filtering | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 19 | File upload capability | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 20 | Rich clipboard (HTML, RTF, images) | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 21 | Services list viewer | Missing | 1 week |
| 22 | Command audit logging | Partial | 1 week |

**Deliverable:** Full MSP remote access solution with deployment automation.

### PHASE D: Polish & Advanced Features (ongoing)
**Goal:** Feature parity with ScreenConnect, competitive advantages

| Priority | Feature | Status | Effort |
|----------|---------|--------|--------|
| 23 | MSI packaging (64-bit) | Missing | 3-4 weeks |
| 24 | MFA/2FA support | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 25 | Role-based permissions enforcement | Partial | 2 weeks |
| 26 | Session recording | Missing | 4+ weeks |
| 27 | Safe mode reboot | Missing | 2 weeks |
| 28 | Event log viewer | Missing | 3 weeks |
| 29 | Auto-update complete | Partial | 3 weeks |
| 30 | Mobile viewer | Missing | 8+ weeks |

**Deliverable:** Enterprise-grade solution with advanced features.

---

## 6. Requirement Quality Assessment

### CLEAR AND TESTABLE
- Most requirements are well-defined with specific capabilities
- Mock-ups provided for dashboard design (helpful)
- Howard's feedback is concrete (PowerShell timeouts, 64-bit client)
- Protocol definitions are precise

### CONFLICTS OR AMBIGUITIES
- **None identified** - requirements are internally consistent
- Design mockups match written requirements

### UNREALISTIC REQUIREMENTS
- **None found** - all features exist in ScreenConnect and are technically feasible
- MSI packaging is complex but standard industry practice
- Safe mode reboot is possible via Windows APIs
- WoL requires network relay but requirement acknowledges this

### MISSING REQUIREMENTS

| Area | What's Missing | Impact | Recommendation |
|------|---------------|--------|----------------|
| **Performance** | Vague targets ("30+ FPS on LAN") | Can't validate if met | Define minimum acceptable: "15+ FPS WAN, 30+ FPS LAN, <200ms input latency" |
| **Bandwidth** | No network requirements | Can't test WAN scenarios | Specify: "Must work on 1 Mbps WAN, graceful degradation on slower" |
| **Scalability** | "50+ concurrent agents" is vague | Don't know when to scale | Define: "Single server: 100 agents, 25 concurrent sessions. Cluster: 1000+ agents" |
| **Disaster Recovery** | No backup/restore mentioned | Production risk | Add: "Database backup, config export/import, agent re-registration" |
| **Migration** | No ScreenConnect import | Friction for new customers | Add: "Import ScreenConnect sessions, export contact lists" |
| **Mobile** | Mentioned but not detailed | Scope unclear | Either detail requirements or defer to Phase 2 entirely |
| **API** | Limited to PSA integration | Third-party extensibility | Add: "REST API for session control, webhook events" |
| **Monitoring** | No health checks, metrics | Operational blindness | Add: "Prometheus metrics, health endpoints, alerting" |
| **Internationalization** | English only assumed | Global MSPs excluded | Consider: "i18n support for dashboard" or explicitly English-only |
| **Accessibility** | No WCAG compliance | ADA compliance risk | Add: "WCAG 2.1 AA compliance" or acknowledge limitation |

### RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REQUIREMENTS

1. **Add Performance Acceptance Criteria**
   - Minimum FPS: 15 FPS WAN, 30 FPS LAN
   - Maximum latency: 200ms input delay on WAN
   - Bandwidth: Functional on 1 Mbps, optimal on 5+ Mbps
   - Scalability: 100 agents / 25 concurrent sessions per server

2. **Create ScreenConnect Feature Parity Checklist**
   - List all ScreenConnect features
   - Mark must-have vs nice-to-have
   - Use as validation for "done"

3. **Detail or Defer Mobile Requirements**
   - Either: Full mobile spec (iOS/Android apps)
   - Or: Explicitly defer to Phase 2, focus on web

4. **Add Operational Requirements**
   - Monitoring and alerting
   - Backup and restore procedures
   - Multi-server deployment architecture
   - Load balancing strategy

5. **Specify Migration/Import Tools**
   - ScreenConnect session import (if possible)
   - Bulk agent deployment strategies
   - Configuration migration scripts

---

## 7. Implementation Status Summary

### By Category (% Complete)

| Category | Complete | Partial | Missing | Overall % |
|----------|----------|---------|---------|-----------|
| Infrastructure | 10 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Support Sessions | 4 | 1 | 2 | 70% |
| End-User Portal | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Screen Viewing | 5 | 2 | 2 | 65% |
| Remote Control | 3 | 3 | 1 | 60% |
| Clipboard | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| File Transfer | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Backstage Tools | 0 | 2 | 10 | 10% |
| Chat/Messaging | 0 | 2 | 4 | 20% |
| Dashboard UI | 2 | 3 | 10 | 25% |
| Unattended Agents | 5 | 3 | 1 | 70% |
| Installer Builder | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Auto-Update | 2 | 3 | 3 | 40% |
| Security | 4 | 2 | 4 | 50% |
| Agent Features | 0 | 3 | 6 | 20% |
| Session Management | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |

**Overall Project Completion: 32%**

### What Works Today
- Persistent agent connects to server
- JWT authentication for dashboard
- Support code generation and validation
- Screen capture (DXGI + GDI fallback)
- Basic WebSocket relay
- Database persistence
- User management
- Machine registration

### What Doesn't Work Today
- End users can't initiate sessions (no portal)
- Input control not fully wired
- No clipboard sync
- No file transfer
- No backstage tools
- No installer builder
- Dashboard is very basic
- Chat not integrated

### What Needs Completion
- Wire up existing components (input, chat, system info)
- Build missing UI (portal, dashboard panels)
- Implement protocol features (clipboard, file transfer)
- Create new features (backstage tools, installer builder)

---

## 8. Risk Assessment

### HIGH RISK (likely to cause delays)

| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| One-time agent download complexity | High | Critical | Start early, may need to simplify (just run without install) |
| Installer builder scope creep | High | High | Define MVP: EXE only, defer MSI to Phase 2 |
| Input relay timing issues | Medium | Critical | Thorough testing on various networks |
| Clipboard compatibility issues | Medium | High | Start with text-only, add formats incrementally |

### MEDIUM RISK (manageable)

| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| Multi-monitor switching complexity | Medium | Medium | Good protocol support, mainly UI work |
| File transfer chunking/resume | Medium | Medium | Simple implementation first, optimize later |
| PowerShell output streaming | Medium | High | Use existing .NET libraries, test thoroughly |
| Dashboard real-time updates | Low | High | WebSocket infrastructure exists |

### LOW RISK (minor concerns)

| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| MSI packaging learning curve | Low | Medium | Defer to Phase D, use WiX |
| Safe mode reboot compatibility | Low | Low | Windows API well-documented |
| Cross-browser compatibility | Low | Medium | Modern browsers similar, test all |

---

## 9. Recommendations

### IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (Week 1-2)

1. **Create End-User Portal** (static HTML/JS)
   - Support code entry form
   - Validation via API
   - Download link generation
   - Browser detection for instructions

2. **Complete Input Relay Chain**
   - Verify viewer captures mouse/keyboard
   - Ensure server relays to agent
   - Test end-to-end on LAN and WAN

3. **Build Dashboard Session List UI**
   - Display active sessions from API
   - Real-time updates via WebSocket
   - Join button that launches viewer

### SHORT TERM (Week 3-8)

4. **One-Time Agent Download**
   - Simplify: agent runs without install
   - Embed support code in download URL
   - Test on Windows 10/11 without admin

5. **Text Clipboard Sync**
   - Windows clipboard API on agent
   - JavaScript clipboard API in viewer
   - Bidirectional sync on change

6. **Remote PowerShell**
   - Execute process, capture stdout/stderr
   - Stream output to dashboard
   - UI with timeout controls (checkboxes)

7. **File Download**
   - Agent reads file, chunks it
   - Stream via WebSocket
   - Viewer saves to local disk

### MEDIUM TERM (Week 9-16)

8. **Persistent Agent Service Mode**
   - Complete Windows service installation
   - Auto-start on boot
   - Test on Server 2016/2019/2022

9. **Dashboard Enhancements**
   - Machine grouping by company/site
   - Search and filtering
   - Session detail panels with tabs

10. **Installer Builder MVP**
    - Generate custom EXE with metadata
    - Server-side build pipeline
    - Download from dashboard

### LONG TERM (Week 17+)

11. **MSI Packaging**
    - WiX toolset integration
    - 64-bit support (Howard requirement)
    - Silent install for GPO

12. **Advanced Features**
    - Session recording
    - MFA/2FA
    - Mobile viewer
    - PSA integrations

### PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS

13. **Add Performance Testing**
    - Define FPS benchmarks
    - Latency measurement
    - Bandwidth profiling

14. **Create Test Plan**
    - End-to-end scenarios
    - Cross-browser testing
    - Network simulation (WAN throttling)

15. **Update Requirements Document**
    - Add missing operational requirements
    - Define performance targets
    - Create ScreenConnect parity checklist

---

## 10. Conclusion

GuruConnect has **excellent technical foundations** but needs **significant feature development** to reach MVP. The infrastructure (server, protocol, database, auth) is production-ready, but user-facing features are 30-35% complete.

### Path to Launch

**Conservative Estimate:** 20-24 weeks to production-ready
**Aggressive Estimate:** 12-16 weeks with focused development
**Recommended Approach:** 3-phase delivery

1. **Phase A (6-8 weeks):** Basic functional product - attended support only
2. **Phase B (6-8 weeks):** Competitive features - clipboard, file transfer, PowerShell
3. **Phase C (8-10 weeks):** Full MSP solution - installer builder, grouping, polish

### Key Success Factors

1. **Prioritize ruthlessly** - Defer nice-to-haves (MSI, session recording, mobile)
2. **Leverage existing code** - Chat, system info, auth already partially done
3. **Start with simple implementations** - Text-only clipboard, download-only files
4. **Focus on Howard's priorities** - PowerShell/CMD, 64-bit client, clipboard
5. **Test early and often** - Input latency, cross-browser, WAN performance

### Critical Path Items

The following items are on the critical path and cannot be parallelized:

1. End-user portal (blocks testing)
2. One-time agent download (blocks end-user usage)
3. Input relay completion (blocks remote control validation)
4. Dashboard session UI (blocks technician workflow)

Everything else can be developed in parallel by separate developers.

**Bottom Line:** The project is viable and well-architected, but needs 3-6 months of focused feature development to compete with ScreenConnect. Howard's team should plan accordingly.

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**Generated:** 2026-01-17
**Next Review:** After Phase A completion
