Deployment Methods

There are several options to choose from to deploy the SysTrack Agent to endpoint systems. The Agent is responsible for all data collection and moving data to the next highest level in the tree. The Agent is usually deployed to Windows systems without manual interaction from the system administrator. An endpoint system only requires a reboot to complete installation in the rare instance when a system needs an updated MDAC or WMI. If a reboot is required, it will not be forced as part of the installation process and will instead take place automatically at the time of the next reboot.

This section describes how to select the correct method of deployment for two types of endpoint systems: physical systems and virtual machines.

Physical Systems

  • Push Deployment is the default method of deployment due to its simplicity. As the name implies, the master system pushes the installation files down to the endpoint system. When using this method, the following requirements must be met:

  • Credentials with sufficient level of access must be provided

  • File/Print sharing must be enabled

  • MSI Deployment is the most convenient method for large volumes of deployment. This method does not have file and print sharing requirements. Deployment occurs either through a Software Distribution Tool or by running a script through GPO.

Virtual Machines

Non-Pooled virtual machines (those not being cloned from a Golden Image/system) can be deployed in the exact same manner as physical systems.

For pooled virtual machines, there are two types of pooled desktops:

  • Persistent Pooled Desktops

  • Non-Persistent Pooled Desktops

For any operating system that supports more than one user being logged in and active at a time from Server OS to Windows Virtual Desktop, see Non-Persistent Multi-Session Virtualization.

Persistent Pooled Desktops

This deployment method depends on how new images will be spun up from the Golden Images. There are two possible scenarios:

  • If the cloned system SID changes (physical, SysPreped systems generally change SIDs), the agent is installed on a Golden Image and keeps running. Every time a new system is spun up, the agent will request a new GUID for the cloned system. It will be seen as a new endpoint by the master.

  • If the cloned system SID does not change, there are three options:

    • Non-Persistent desktop requires SQL Server 2010 and above (no Express versions) for the master database and increased endpoint-master connectivity dependence. Data is collected on a per-user basis rather than per-system.

    • Regular MSI or Push Deployments involve performing the installation after the persistent systems have been created without having the Golden Image involved in the process.

    • Pooled DB mode deployment is similar to the non-persistent terminal server use case.

Non-Persistent Pooled Desktops

SysTrack requires MSI installations for non-persistent virtual machines for a given pool. The Golden Image used for this process has a specially prepared agent installed on it such that the agent knows it is on a non-persistent system when it starts up. This Golden Image cannot be used on a persistent VM interchangeably.

In this deployment method, the agent is installed on the Golden Image using a special MSI deployment method. Once the installation is complete, the agent stops immediately and resides passively on the Golden Image. Once a new image is spun up from the Golden Image, the agent starts on the cloned image. By reading the property fields it has been installed with (for example, “POOLEDDB”), it sends information up to the top based on the user account (not the system name). The cloned image will appear in the Deployment Tree as a user account (not as a system name).

Non-Persistent Multi-Session Virtualization

You can use this deployment method if you are using a Server OS VDI with no persistent storage.

IMPORTANT: Do not use the Jet (MDB) database on a file share; doing so will corrupt the database.

Lakeside Software supports the use of the LocalDB option (a SQL Server database option) on a file share. To use the LocalDB option on a file share, complete the following steps.

  1. Map a drive to a location (for example, \\server\share\%COMPUTERNAME%). You’ll need to map the drive as a system so that the location is available when the server starts up. To map the drive, you can create a start-up script with the following commands.

    1. Run an elevated cmd window

    2. psexec -i -s cmd.exe

    3. whoami To make sure you are nt authority

    4. net use L: \\server\share\%COMPUTERNAME% /persistent:yes

  2. Install the agent to use LocalDB on the new drive.

  3. Seal the Golden Image.

Deep Freeze Environment

For the SysTrack agent to be installed on a Deep Freeze device, the device needs to be thawed. Next, redirect the local database to the thawed partition. After the agent is installed and communicating to the master system, the main drive can be frozen again, and the data will write to the other partition. The agent can be deployed via an MSI using a pooled db model which will direct the database to the thawed drive.

Use the following command line syntax for installing the SysTrack agents on the endpoint systems via MSI.

  1. For 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, use the following command for the runtime executable required by the SysTrack agent (the log is optional):

    vc_redist_x86.exe /q /norestart /log <enter path to a temp folder>\VCx86.log

  2. For 64-bit operating systems only, use the following command for the runtime executable required by the SysTrack agent (the log is optional):

    vc_redist_x64.exe /q /norestart /log <enter path to a temp folder>\VCx64.log

  3. Complete the SysTrack agent installation. Use this command to install the agent into a thawed folder on the machine. Replace “D:\<path>” with the actual location where you would like to install the agent:

    msiexec.exe /qn /i “<path to install files\Systems Management Agent_x32.msi” ALLUSERS=1 REBOOT=R MASTERNAME=<MASTER NAME> INSTALLDIR=”D:\<path>\SysTrack”

  4. Use the following command to place the SysTrack agent in the default directory of C:\Program Files (x86)\SysTrack and put the SysTrack local database on a thawed drive:

    msiexec.exe /qn /i “<path to install files\Systems Management Agent_x32.msi” ALLUSERS=1 REBOOT=R MASTERNAME= <MASTER NAME> POOLDB=”<path to thawed drive>”