Installing the KACE K1000 5.x Agent Through Windows' Group Policy

5.3

This section not necessary for 5.3

5.1

The msi is not setup to deploy via GPO. This can be easily modified with Microsoft ORCA

1. Make sure you have File Sharing enabled in the security settings on your KBOX and copy the MSI file of the share at:\\kboxhostname\client\agent_provisioning\windows_platform
2. Make sure the MSI file is not set to read-only
3. Open KInstallerSetupSilent.msi up with ORCA.
4. Scroll down in the left column and select AdvtExecuteSequence
5. Now Change the Condition values for the Actions called PublishComponents and PublishFeatures from False to nothing.
   
6. Save the MSI and exit out of ORCA.

This custom MSI can now be executed to intstall the KBOX agent preconfigured to point to your server. This installer will not include .NET 1.1 so be sure the target machines have that before deploying.

Creating the Group Policy

This describes how to use Group Policy to distribute the KBOX Agent to client computers using the "Assigning Software" method¹:

• Assigning Software

  You can assign a program distribution computers. When you assign the program to a computer, it is installed when the computer starts.

Create a Distribution Point

To publish or assign a computer program, you must create a distribution point on the publishing server:

1. Log on to the server computer as an administrator.
2. Create a shared network folder where you will put the Microsoft Windows Installer package (.msi file) that you want to distribute.
3. Set permissions on the share to allow access to the distribution package.
4. Copy the relevant msi for your version to the distribution point. You can obtain this from \\kboxhostname\client\agent_provisioning\windows_platform share on your kbox.

Create a Group Policy Object

To create a Group Policy object (GPO) to use to distribute the software package:

Method 1: via Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain or OU, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, and then click New.
4. Type a name for this new policy (for example, Office XP distribution), and then press ENTER.
5. Click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
6. Click to clear the Apply Group Policy check box for the security groups that you want to prevent from having this policy applied.
7. Click to select the Apply Group Policy check box for the groups that you want this policy to apply to.
8. When you are finished, click OK.

Method 2 (Recommended): via Group Policy Management Console (if you have it installed)

1. Start the Group Policy Management Console. To do this, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management Console
2. In the tree, expand your forest; locate your domain and find the Group Policy Objects section
3. In the right-hand pane where the Group Policy Objects are listed, right-click and choose New
   1. 
4. Enter the Name as KBOX Agent.
5. Click and Drag the newly created object onto the OU you want to deploy it to. In this case we are using an OU called TestForGPOInstall.
   1.  

Assign a Package

Method 1: via Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in

1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, select the group policy object that you want, and then click Edit.
4. Under Computer Configuration, expand Software Settings.
5. Right-click Software installation, point to New, and then click Package.
6. In the Open dialog box, type the full Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of the shared installer package that you want. For example, \\file server\share\file name.msi.

   Important Do not use the Browse button to access the location. Make sure that you use the UNC path to the shared installer package.

7. Click Open.
8. Click Assigned, and then click OK. The package is listed in the right pane of the Group Policy window.
9. Close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then quit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

Method 2 (Recommended): via Group Policy Management Console (if you have it installed)

1. Find your group policy object called KBOX Agent. Right-click on it and choose Edit . The Group Policy Object Editor will open.
2. Under Computer Configuration, expand Software Settings.
3. Right-click Software installation, point to New, and then click Package.
4. In the Open dialog box, type the full Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of the shared installer package that you want. For example, \\fileserver\share\KInstallerSetupSilent.msi or \\fileserver\share\ampagent-5.3.44367-x86_kboxhostname.company.com.msi

   Important Do not use the Browse button to access the location. Make sure that you use the UNC path to the shared installer package.

5. Click Open.
6. Click Assigned, and then click OK. The package is listed in the right pane of the Group Policy window.
7. Close the Group Policy snap-in.

References

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816102

Related Articles

http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/k1000-how-to-download-agent-executables