Deployment using group policies of Microsoft Windows

It is recommended that you perform the initial deployment of Network Agents through Microsoft Windows group policies if the following conditions are met:

• This device is member of an Active Directory domain.
• Access to the domain controller is granted with the administrator rights, which allow you to create and modify Active Directory group policies.
• Configured installation packages can be moved to the network hosting target managed devices (to a shared folder that is available for reading by all target devices).
• The deployment scheme allows you to wait for the next routine restart of target devices before starting deployment of Network Agents on them (or you can force a Windows group policy to be applied to those devices).

This deployment scheme consists of the following:

• The application distribution package in Microsoft Installer format (MSI package) is located in a shared folder (a folder where the LocalSystem accounts of target devices have read permissions).
• In the Active Directory group policy, an installation object is created for the distribution package.
• The installation scope is set by specifying the organizational unit (OU) and / or the security group, which includes the target devices.
• The next time a target device logs in to the domain (before device users log in to the system), all installed applications are checked for the presence of the required application. If the application is not found, the distribution package is downloaded from the resource specified in the policy and is then installed.

An advantage of this deployment scheme is that assigned applications are installed on target devices while the operating system is loading, that is, even before the user logs in to the system. Even if a user with sufficient rights removes the application, it will be reinstalled at the next launch of the operating system. This deployment scheme's shortcoming is that changes made by the administrator to the group policy will not take effect until the devices are restarted (if no additional tools are involved).

You can use group policies to install both Network Agent and other applications if their respective installers are in Windows Installer format.

Besides, when you select this deployment method, you have to assess the load on the file resource from which files will be copied to target devices after you apply the Windows group policy. You also have to choose the method of delivering the configured installation package to that resource, as well as the method of synchronizing the relevant changes in its settings.

Handling Microsoft Windows policies through the remote installation task of Kaspersky Security Center

This deployment method is only available if access to the controller of the domain, which contains the target devices, is possible from the Administration Server device, while the shared folder of the Administration Server (the one storing installation packages) is accessible for reading from target devices. Owing to the above reasons, this deployment method is not viewed as applicable to MSP.

Unassisted installation of applications through policies of Microsoft Windows

The administrator can create objects required for installation in a Windows group policy on his or her own behalf. In this case, you have to upload the packages to a stand-alone file server and provide a link to them.

The following installation scenarios are possible:

• The administrator creates an installation package and sets up its properties in Administration Console. Then the administrator copies the entire EXEC subfolder of this package from the shared folder of Kaspersky Security Center to a folder on a dedicated file resource of the organization. The group policy object provides a link to the MSI file of this package stored in a subfolder on the dedicated file resource of the organization.
• The administrator downloads the application distribution package (including that of Network Agent) from the internet and uploads it to the dedicated file resource of the organization. The group policy object provides a link to the MSI file of this package stored in a subfolder on the dedicated file resource of the organization. The installation settings are defined by configuring the MSI properties or by configuring MST transform files.