SysAdmin Talk

Here in the Information Systems team at Red Gate Software we wanted to do two things in one go:

1. Find out how big (or hopefuly small!) our own PST problem is, and
2. Test our new PST Importer tool

To accomplish both objectives we used Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 to deploy the PST Importer Agent to all corporate desktops.This is how we did it! With the System Center Configuration Manager infrastructure (SCCM) in place, the default collection “All Windows Workstation or Professional Systems” was selected to push the PST agent to PCs running the SCCM client agent.

The PST Agent 32 & 64 bit .MSI installer,  were added to the system center software distribution packages for silent deployment to Windows 7 x64 and Windows XP x86.

A previous deployment of the ESA outlook plugin, included the Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0.  Therefore the client PC ‘s met the PST agent prerequisite.

Create the PST Importer Agent package manually

 

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution.
2. Right-click Packages, point to New, and then click Package.
3. Use the New Package Wizard to create a software distribution package, specifying general information, data source, distribution settings, and other information for the new package.

4. Use the Data Source page in the Configuration Manager 2007 New Package Wizard to specify the file location of the PST Agent. msi

5. Complete the wizard with your preferred options

Create the PST Importer Agent Install Program manually

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System CenterConfiguration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution / Package / Red-Gate Software PST Importer Agent
2. Right-click Programs, point to New, and then click Program.
3. Use the New Program Wizard to create a program for a software distribution package:

-For the Silent 32bit install program we use the command line:

msiexec /i “PST Agent_1.0.0.852_x86_r103425.msi” /qn /norestart CENTRALSERVICEHOST=myESAserver.mydomain.com  (myESAserver.mydomain.com being where the pst importer tool is installed).

-For alternative installer options , please refer to: Command-Line Switches for the Microsoft Windows Installer Tool  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/227091

4. Then create a new program for the x64 for version (repating the steps above)

Create the PST importer Agent Uninstall Program manually

1. Repeat the above program install steps, using the msiexec /uninstall command line:

msiexec /uninstall ” PST Agent_1.0.0.852_x64_r103425.msi” /qn /norestart CENTRALSERVICEHOST=myESAserver.mydomain.com

Create the PST Importer Agent package from a Package Definition File

Alternately you can create the PST importer Agent package and programs from a Package Definition File.

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System CenterConfiguration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution.
2. Right-click Packages, point to New, and then click Package from Definition.
3. Use the Create Package from Definition Wizard to create a software distribution package based on an existing package definition file.
4. Use the Package Definition page in the Configuration Manager 2007 Create Package from Definition Wizard, to select the PST Agent_1.0.0.852_x86_ r103425.msi

5. Then edit command lines to suit your requirements

Command-Line Switches for the Microsoft Windows Installer Tool  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/227091

Select the Client operating Systems the agent should run on

Use the Requirements tab in Software Distribution PST Agent –silent -32bit program  Properties dialog box to specify program requirements, including the client platforms on which the program will run.

The 32 bit and 64 bit PST agent programs were advertised to all PC’s, so we selected which agents can run on which operating systems.

Copy the package to a distribution point

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System CenterConfiguration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution / Red-Gate Software PST Importer Agent
2. Right-click the Distribution Points node, and then click New Distribution Point.
3. Use the Copy Package Wizard to select the destination distribution point and the package to copy.

4. Verify that the package has copied – navigate to Red-Gate PST Importer / Package Status /Package Status /sitenmame/  -the status should be “installed”

Create an Advertisement

You will need to have a collection for to advertise the program too. Please refer to the Microsoft documentation http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb694134.aspx

We used the default “All Windows Workstation or Professional Systems” collection but you can create your own specific collection of PCs

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System CenterConfiguration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution.
2. Right-click Advertisements, point to New, and then click Advertisement

3. Use the New Advertisement Wizard to create an advertisement, specifying general information, the collection to which the advertisement should be distributed, the run schedule, and other information for the new advertisement.-

We deployed the tool using a mandatory assignment running at logon and selected “Run program from distribution point”

The mandatory assignment meant that our users were not required to Run the program form advertised tasks. The Agent was deployed to the user without the users interaction

We always advertise tasks at least 10 minutes into the future, to ensure that the task is not out of date when the it reaches the client.

We chose to run the prgoram form our disrtutbion point so the user would not be propeted to download the agent.

Trobuleshooting the Installation

1. View the status of an advertisement

In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System CenterConfiguration Manager / Site Database / System Status / Advertisement Status.

2. Client Event Viewer

 


Client Event Viewer



Client Event Viewer

 

3.SCCM reports

Report Name- Last 1000 messages for a specific computer (Errors, Warnings, and Information).

The report “All advertisements for a specific collection” is also helpful in demitting success:

The 144 rejected are 32 bit machines and the 37 succeeded / accepted are 64 bit

The 62 machines are turned off. The 32 bit installer:

System Status -> Advertisement status-

 

Msi logs

To troubleshoot installation errors add     “/l*v c:\PSTagent.log” to the msiexec command line.