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Deploy Agents

Agent > Deploy Agents

The Deploy Agent page creates and distributes an agent install package to multiple machines.

Note: You can download a PDF overview of Agent Configuration and Deployment from the top topic of online help.

Note: Use Agent > Create to create a machine ID account and agent install package in two separate steps and apply them to a single machine. You can also use Create to create machine ID templates or re-install an agent for an existing machine ID.

Note: Use Install Agent to install agents on remote systems.

Machine IDs vs. Agents

When discussing agents it is helpful to distinguish between the machine ID / group ID and the agent. The machine ID / group ID is the VSA's user account name for a managed machine in its database. The agent is the client software installed on the managed machine. A one-to-one relationship exists between the agent on a managed machine and its machine ID / group ID account name on the VSA. Tasks assigned to a machine ID by a VSA administrator direct the agent's actions on the managed machine.

Using the Wizard

The Deploy Agents install package is created using a Configure Automatic Account Creation wizard. The wizard copies agent settings from an existing machine ID or machine ID template and generates an install package called KcsSetup.exe. All settings and pending scripts from the machine ID you copy from—except the machine ID and group ID—are applied to every new machine ID created with the package.

Automatic Account Creation

You must have automatic account creation enabled using System > Check-in Policy to automatically create a machine ID account when a Deploy Agents package is installed.

Machine ID Templates

A machine ID template is a machine ID record without an agent. Since an agent never checks into a machine ID template account, it is not counted against your total license count. You can create as many machine ID templates as you want without additional cost. When an agent install package is created, the package's settings are copied from a selected machine ID template. Typically machine ID templates are created and configured for certain types of machine. Machine type examples include desktops, Autocad, Quickbooks, small business servers, Exchange servers, SQL Servers, etc. A corresponding install package can be created based on each machine ID template you define.

  • Create machine ID templates using Agent > Create.
  • Import a machine ID template using Agent > Import/Export. Sample templates can be downloaded from the Kaseya Support Forum and imported.
  • Base an agent install package on machine ID template using Agent > Deploy Agents.
  • Copy selected settings from machine ID templates to existing machine ID accounts using Agent > Copy Settings.
  • Identify the total number of machine ID template accounts in your VSA using System > Statistics.
  • Configure settings for the machine ID template using the standard VSA functions, just as you would a machine ID account with an agent.

Including Credentials in Agent Install Packages

If necessary, an agent install package can be created that includes an administrator credential to access a customer network. Credentials are only necessary if users are installing packages on machines and do not have administrator access to their network. The administrator credential is encrypted, never available in clear text form, and bound to the install package.

Editing Existing Install Packages

Typically an existing Deploy Agents install package is edited just before re-distribution. The most common changes made to an install package are:

  • Pre-selecting a group ID and sub-group ID. A group ID usually represents a single customer. A sub-group ID is sometimes used to represent a specific customer location.
  • Assigning a credential, if necessary.

Once edited the install package can be re-created and distributed to the specific customer and location it is intended for.

Distribution Methods

Once created, you can use the following methods to distribute an agent install package:

  • Logon Scripts - Set up an NT logon script to run the install package every time a user logs into the network. The installer skips installation if it detects an agent is already on a machine.
    1. Create the deployment package using the Agent > Deploy Agents wizard.
      • You will probably want to select the silent install option.
      • It may be necessary to bind an administrator credential if users running the logon script don't have administrator rights.
    2. Download the KcsSetup.exe using the dl.asp page and copy it to a network share which users can execute programs from.
    3. Add KcsSetup.exe with its network path to the logon script.
  • Email - Email KcsSetup.exe to all users on the network. Download the install package from the Deploy Agents page, then attach it to an email on your local machine. You can also copy and paste the link of the default install package into an email message.
  • LAN Watch - Administrators can discover newly added machines during a LAN Watch and subsequently install agents remotely using the Agent > Install Agents page.
  • Manually - You can instruct users to download an install package agent from the http://your.Kserver.com/dl.asp website to their target machines. If more than one install package is displayed on the website, instruct them which package should be selected. Users can execute the KcsSetup.exe using any of the following three methods:
    • Double click KcsSetup.exe within Windows to launch it.
    • Open a command line window and type KcsSetup.exe followed by any desired command line switches.
    • Select Run... from the Windows Start menu and type KcsSetup.exe followed by any desired command line switches.
  • Macintosh - See Deploying Macintosh Agents using Apple Remote Desktop.

Default Administrator Install Packages

Each administrator can specify their own default install package by selecting the Set Default radio button to the left of the package name. Administrators can download their own default agent immediately by selecting the Click to download default Agent link on the Deploy Agents page.

Unique ID Number

You can tell users which install package to download by referencing the install package's unique ID number. Example: http://your.Kserver.com/dl.asp?id=123. The default install package is displayed with its unique ID number in the header of the Deploy Agents page.

Assigning New Machine IDs to Machine Group by IP Address

Using Deploy Agents, you may choose to create a generic install package that adds all new machine accounts to the unnamed group ID. When the agent checks in the first time, a System > Naming Policy assigns it to the correct group ID and/or sub-group ID.

Windows vs. Macintosh

Agent packages can be created to install agents on machines running either Windows or Macintosh operating systems. See Deploying Macintosh Agents using Apple Remote Desktop.

Create Package

Click Create Package to start a Configure Automatic Account Creation wizard where you can specify all configuration parameters for the install package. The wizard is a 7 step process.

  1. Define rules for naming the machine ID.
    • Prompt the user to enter a machine ID.
    • Use the computer name as the machine ID.
    • Specify the machine ID for this install package.
    • Set the user name of the currently logged on user as the machine ID.
  2. Define rules for naming the group ID.
    • Prompt User - Asks user to enter a group ID. This option is only displayed to master administrators.
    • Domain Name - Uses the user's domain name.
    • Existing Group - Select an existing group ID from a drop down list.
    • New Group - Specify a new group ID. This option is only displayed to master administrators.
  3. Specify agent install package command line switches including the ability to install silently without any task bars or dialog boxes.
  4. Specify the machine ID to copy settings and pending scripts from. All settings and pending scripts from the machine ID you copy from—except the machine ID and group ID—are applied to every new machine ID created with the package.

    Note: The statement Copy settings from unknown.unnamed.unnamed-org if nothing selected is based on the machine ID or template selected by the Default Install package. See Editing the Default Install Package below.

  5. Select the operating system you are creating the install package for: Windows or Macintosh. See Deploying Macintosh Agents using Apple Remote Desktop.
  6. Optionally bind an administrator logon credential to the install package. Fill in the Administrator Credential form to securely bind administrator rights to the install package.
    • Users without administrator rights can install the package successfully without having to enter an administrator credential.
    • If the administrator credential is left blank and the user does not have administrator rights to install software, the install package prompts the user to enter an administrator credential during the install.

      Note: Credentials are only necessary if users are installing packages on machines and do not have administrator access to their network.

  7. Name the install package for easy reference later. This name displays on the Deploy Agents page and the dl.asp download page.

    Note: The filename of the agent install package is always KcsSetup.exe.

Install Issues and Failures

See Install Issues and Failures if an agent fails to install.

Editing the Default Install Package

The Default Install package sets the default values displayed when you create a new package. Normally the Default Install package cannot be modified. The Save button is disabled. To enable the Save button for the Default Install package, do the following as a master administrator:

  1. Click the Share button next to the Default Install package in Agent > Deploy Agents.
  2. Click Take Ownership.
  3. Check Allow other administrators to modify.
  4. Click Save.
  5. Click the edit icon next to the Default Install package.

The Save button will be enabled when you edit the Default Install package.

Note: If you delete the Default Install package, it is re-created immediately.

Click to download default Agent

Click this link to download the current administrator's default package directly from this page.

Users can download agents from

Right click the displayed link and select the Copy Shortcut option, then paste this shortcut into an email message. The unique ID number ensures that when the link is clicked in the email message, the default install package is selected and downloaded. Set a different install package as the default to display the link for that install package.

Set Default

Specify your own administrator default install package by selecting the radio button to the left of the package name in the Set Default column.

Delete Icon

Click the delete icon to remove a package from the paging area. If you created the package, then this also deletes the package from the system and removes it for all administrator's lists.

Edit Icon

Click the edit icon next to a package to change parameters for that package using the Configure Automatic Account Creation wizard.

Package Name

Lists the name of the package.

Public Package

Public package rows display with a brown background. Private package rows display with a gray background.

Share

Click Share to share a private package with other administrators, administrator roles or to make the package public. If a package is public, click Share to take ownership of the public package and make changes to it. Only master administrators can make a package public and available to all administrators.

List on dl.asp

Click the dl.asp link in the column header to display the web page users see when they install an agent on their machine. Check a box in this column to include its package in the list of available download packages on the dl.asp page.

Description

Displays the description of the package.