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New Features in Software Deployment and Update (v1.1.0.0.) - 14 January 2013

Compatibility

Software Deployment and Update v1.1 requires VSA v6.3. If upgrading to VSA v6.3, and Software Deployment and Update is installed, you will be required to upgrade to Software Deployment and Update v1.1.

Uninstall of Applications

Applications can now be uninstalled using the Uninstall Now button within the Status > By Machine and Status > By Software Title pages.

Uninstalled software titles are tracked by managed machine. A profile will not reinstall a software title, including newer versions, if it was previously uninstalled. You must explicitly install the software title by clicking the Deploy Now button.

Uninstall options include reboots, pre-procedures and post-procedures. Uninstall options are specified when adding or editing the installer in the local software catalog of the Catalog page. You can uninstall both:

  • Ninite installers
  • Custom installers - The user must specify the path, also referred to as the Uninstall String, used to uninstall the application. The user can also specify any required command line arguments within the Command Line Arguments field.

The Alerts page includes two new uninstall alerts:

  • Uninstall Complete
  • Uninstall Failed

Scanning

The Profiles > Manage page now includes a new Application Action menu. The menu displays these three scanning options:

  • Scan only
  • Scan, and update if installed
  • Scan, deploy, and update - This is the default and was the only behavior available in the previous release.

The default value is set using the General Settings tab of the Application Settings page.

Action Reporting

For software titles and versions set to Scan Only and Scan & Update If Installed within a profile, an out of compliance status icon on the Deployment Analysis page can be changed to one of the following:

  • Out of Compliance - Reported as an out of compliance status icon. No change. This is the default setting.
  • Warning - Reported as a warning status icon.
  • In Compliance - Reported as an in compliance status icon.

This is set using the General Settings tab of the Application Settings page.

Install Answer Files

Answer files can be specified for custom Windows installers. An answer file is a text file used to provide the answers to installer prompts in support of an unattended installation. This option is specified when adding or editing the Windows installer in the local software catalog of the Catalog page.

Offline Scanner / Access to the Internet Not Required for Agents

The previous release required agents to have access to the internet to run a scan. With this release agents without internet access can be optionally configured to use an offline scanner to run Software Deployment and Update scans. Only connectivity to the Kaseya Server is required. The offline scanner is updated nightly on the Kaseya Server. It can also be updated on demand using the Offline Scanner tab within the Application Settings screen. Agent machines are individually configured to use the offline scanner using this same tab. If a machine is configured to use the offline scanner, it downloads the latest offline scanner from the Kaseya Server and scans using this file instead of downloading a similar file from the internet. If an agent has internet access, using the offline scanner is not recommended, since nightly updates to the offline scanner cause it to be downloaded by agents more frequently.

Profile Copying

Profiles can now be copied on the Profiles > Manage page. Only the profile settings such as schedule pattern, auto approve applications, applications assigned, etc. are copied. Machine assignments are not copied.

Conditionally Canceling Installs and Uninstalls

Installs and uninstalls can now be conditionally canceled by a "pre-procedure". VSA users may wish to cancel a pending install or uninstall if a condition is not met. For example, the end-user may be using the machine. If a "pre-procedure" asks the end-user for permission to continue with the install or uninstall and the end-user says no, the "pre-procedure" can create one of the following global variables using the getVariable() command: #global:AbortKSDUInstall# or #global:AbortKSDUUninstall#, whichever is appropriate. Software Deployment and Update now includes a check for the appropriate global variable after the "pre-procedure" is run, and cancels the pending install or uninstall if the variable exists. An agent procedure is assigned to a "pre-procedure" for an install or uninstall when adding or editing the installer in the local software catalog of the Catalog page.

Ninite Command Line Switches

Checkboxes are provided for common Ninite command line switches. They display when editing a Ninite installer once it is dragged over to the local software catalog within the Catalog page.

Dashboard
  • New pie charts display on the Dashboard page.
  • Dashboard pie charts are now clickable and drillable.
  • A gear icon on the right side of the page enables each user to configure the Dashboard elements he or she wants to display.

Deployment Analysis

  • Deploy Now is now available on the Deployment Analysis page.
  • Data can be exported from the grid on the Deployment Analysis page.

Filtering by Scope

Dialogs that show agents are now filtered by scope.

Master Catalog Properties Dialog

Right click any software title in the Master Catalog and select the Properties option to display the application details for that software title.

Report Center

The Report Center provides two new datasets for Software Deployment and Update:

  • Software Deployment Status
  • Deployment Analysis

Archived Alerts

A new Archived Alerts page displays the alerts that are archived from the Dashboard page. The Application Settings page sets the number of days to wait before archiving an alert.

Adobe Acrobat Installer

Software Deployment and Update v1.1 supports the Adobe Acrobat installer.