Scripted OS Install Support via HTTP(s) for CEM

Products

• IT Management Suite
• Deployment Solution

Issue/Introduction

Deployment Solution's Scripted OS Install (SOI) task now supports downloading the Windows Setup packages via HTTP or HTTPS when provisioning machines managed through Cloud-Enabled Management (CEM).

Environment

ITMS 8.7.1 and later

Cause

An IT administrator needed to connect to devices in the WinPE pre-boot environment using CEM to provision fully provisioned servers located in a DMZ network segment. Previously, UNC shares were often required for the Windows Setup packages, which is typically not feasible across CEM.

Resolution

Prior to ITMS 8.7.1 (see ITMS 8.7.1 Release Notes), Windows Scripted OS Install tasks tasks could only access the installation package using a UNC connection. The installation package needed to be directly visible to the PECT agent. The PECT agent could not access package servers behind the firewall through the Internet Gateway when Cloud Enabled Management was used to perform a scripted OS installation.

The Windows Scripted OS Install task has been improved.  If a Windows Scripted OS Install task cannot access the Windows installation package using a UNC connection, it will now attempt to access it using HTTP/HTTPs.  This makes it possible for a Windows scripted OS installation to be performed when the PECT agent does not have direct access to the installation package.

Scripted OS Install now supports HTTP(s) for package download:

• The Windows Setup package is now accessible via HTTP or HTTPS (codebase) from a Package Server (PS) or SMP Server (NS).

• This allows full provisioning services to machines in the DMZ using the Scripted OS task, bypassing the need for UNC access from the WinPE environment.