Group Policy Distribution

This section describes how to install the ActivTrak agent on client computers using Active Directory Group Policy distribution.

Create a distribution point

The first step in deploying the ActivTrak Agent through Group Policy is to create a distribution point on the server. This can be done by following these steps:

• log on to the server as an Administrator user
• create a shared network folder (this folder will contain the Agent MSI package)
• set permissions on this folder in order to allow access to the distribution package
• copy the MSI in the shared folder

Create a Group Policy Object

An MSI package is deployed (distributed) through Group Policy as a Group Policy Object. In order to create an object for the Agent package, you can follow these steps:

• click on the Start button, go to Programs, select Administrative Tools and then select Active Directory Users and Computers
• right-click your domain name in the console tree and select the Properties context menu
• select the Group Policy tab and click New
• set the name of the policy (for example ActivTrak Agent)
• click Properties and select the Security tab
• check the Apply Group Policy checkbox only for the groups to which the policy will be applied
• click on the OK button

Assign the ActivTrak MSI package

The ActivTrak Agent should be assigned on a per-machine basis. As such, it will automatically be installed silently when the machine starts.  In order to assign ActivTrak Agent package, you can follow these steps:

• click on the Start button, go to Programs, select Administrative Tools and then select Active Directory Users and Computers
• right-click your domain name in the console tree and select the Properties context menu
• go to the Group Policy tab, select the object you want and click Edit
• expand Software Settings under Computer Configuration
• right-click Software Installation, select the New context menu and then click on Package
• in the Open dialog type the full UNC path of the shared package you want to assign
• click on the Open button
• click on Assigned and then click OK (the package will be added to the right pane of the "Group Policy" window)
• close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK and exit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in
• when the client computers start, the assigned package will be installed automatically

Redeploy the ActivTrak MSI package

Sometimes you may need to redeploy the ActivTrak Agent package (for example when doing an upgrade). For redeploying you can follow these steps:

• click on the Start button, go to Programs, select Administrative Tools and then select Active Directory Users and Computers
• right-click your domain name in the console tree and select the Properties context menu
• go to the Group Policy tab, select the object you used to deploy the package and click Edit
• expand the Software Settings element (per-machine) which contains the deployed package
• expand the Software Installation element which contains the deployed package
• right-click the package in the right pane of the Group Policy window
• select the All Tasks menu and click Redeploy application
• click the Yes button for reinstalling the application wherever it is installed
• close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK and exit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in

Remove the ActivTrak MSI package

Group Policy also allows you to remove packages which have been deployed in the past. Here are the steps for removing the ActivTrak Agent package:

• click on the Start button, go to Programs, select Administrative Tools and then select Active Directory Users and Computers
• right-click your domain name in the console tree and select the Properties context menu
• go to the Group Policy tab, select the object you used to deploy the package and click Edit
• expand the Software Settings element (per-machine) which contains the deployed package
• expand the Software Installation element which contains the deployed package
• right-click the package in the right pane of the Group Policy window
• select the All Tasks menu and click Remove
• select the following option:
  • Immediately uninstall the software from users and computers
• click the OK button to continue
• close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK and exit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in