Deploying Smart Connect with a group policy in Windows 2008 and 2012 R2

Products

• Web Security.cloud

Issue/Introduction

 

Resolution

The following section summarizes the Smart Connect agent deployment procedure using the Group Policy feature on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and 2012 R2.

For any other software deployment management software, consult the corresponding documentation.

1. Create a network share drive that is accessible from all client computers.
2. Smart Connect can be downloaded by logging into the Symantec.Cloud Portal and go to Tools > Downloads > Smart Connect Agent > Zip Version (Windows Server Group Policy Deployment). Unzip the Smart Connect installation package file (SmartConnect_1.x.x.zip) to the shared drive previously created.
3. Download and customize the Smart Connect configuration file (i.e. AgentConfigure.xml), place it in this shared drive.
   • See the following KB article to learn more about the agentconfigre.xml syntax
      
4. Open Group Policy Management and create a new group policy object named "Smart Connect 1.x.x"
5. Right-click the new GPO, and then click Edit. 
6. Under Computer configuration or User Configuration, navigate to Software installation in the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management Editor window, right-click it, hover your mouse over New, and then click Package.
7. Browse to the network share drive that you created in step 1 and select the SmartConnect.msi file. The path to the network location should look exactly as the users see it, for example \\server\Smart Connect 1.6\
8. Select "Advanced" for the deployment method.
9. Click on the Modifications tab and click the "Add" button.
10. Select the applicable transform files (.mst) as described below:
    • If you plan to deploy with a customized Smart Connect configuration file  as described in step 3, select ConfigFilePath.mst.    
      • ConfigFilePath.mst - MSI transform file to deploy the customized AgentConfigure.xml file
    • Click the "Add" button again and select the corresponding language MSI transform file.    
      • 1031.mst - MSI transform file to deploy the German language pack
      • 1033.mst - MSI transform file to deploy the English language pack
      • 1041.mst - MSI transform file to deploy the Japanese language pack
    • You should see the two selected .MST files in the "Modifications" box.   
11. Click on the "Deployment" tab and click the "Advanced..." button. Check the box "Ignore language when deploying this package".
12. Modify any other deployment options as required.