1. Deployer

1.1. Summary

This functionality allows you to deploy NEXThink Updater in your environnement without any deployment tool.

1.2. Applies To

NEXThink Engine V4 and higher

1.3. Usage

Connect to the webconsole using your credentials.
Go to Engine/Deployer section and enable it.
Go to Finder and access to the "NEXThink Collector" and the tab "Discover and install":
- Create a collection from AD or use a CSV file (with this csv format: BIOS_NAME,IP_ADDRESS).
- After the computer is discovered, you can click on "schedule for installation".
- Follow the wizard, you need to provide the username/password of remote computers.
- If some computers succeed to install, they will go to following step : "Scheduled for installation" > "Installing Collector" > "With Collector".

1.4. Requirements

Engine/CentOS side:
- Working network.
- Samba installed.
Remote computer side:
- Working network
- Standard Windows installation with enabled remote sharing and administration:
  - Enabled services: Workstation, Server - To verify it, in cmd box run command "net start Workstation" and "net start Server".
  - "Windows Network" is running and "Printer and File Sharing" are activated.
  - Enabled "Remote IPC" and "Remote Admin" shares. To verify it, in cmd box run command "net share", and check if there are ADMIN$ and IPC$ shares.
    In Windows XP to enable it you should turn off "Simple sharing" in "Control Panel\Folder Options\View\Use simple file sharing".
  - Account with administrative privileges and not empty password.
  - Enable Local users authenticate as themselves from remote connection.To verify it, set "Classic: Local users authenticate as themselves." in "Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Local Security Policy\Local Policies\Security options\Network access: Sharing and security model for local accounts".
  - Firewall rules allowing traffic between both machines.

1.5. How does it works?

The linux process winexe connects to Inter-Process Communication share of host ((IPC$).
Next it tries to open winexesvc control in the remote computer.
If there is not such winexec installed, winexe (on CentOS) copies winexesvc.exe to ADMIN$ share, creates winexesvc service, starts it and tries to connect again.
After successful connection it passes some parameters to install NEXThink Updater and the command itself to winexesvc process.
On remote computer, winexesvc runs command with I/O redirected to CentOS console.
After command exit winexe return its exit code to system.

1.6. Error and resolution

Here's the list of error with resolution you may encountered using the deployer:

Error type	Error message	Cause	Solution
Network error	dns resolution failure	Unable to resolve the IP address of a source	Check the DNS resolution
	logon failure	The username/password is incorrect	Check the username password provided
	host unreachable	ping request from our computer cannot find the route to the destination IP address	Check the firewall on the target computer or packet routing issue between Engine and target computer
	connection timeout
Share error or process launch error on the target computer	shared access failure	this computer can’t access to the share drive where the updater MSI is located	check if the firewall on this computer doesn’t block this share connection
	file access failure	this computer can’t access to the share drive where the updater MSI is located	Check if the firewall on this computer doesn’t block this share connection and also if the remote computer can access to the file \\Engine_IP\nxshare\
	windows error (<error sent by windows computer>)	depend of the windows error provided	Please check the windows error related topic here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms681381%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
	unknown error
MSI error	successful installation(reboot needed)	MSI didn’t succeed to install on this computer	Please run MSI in debug log – “msiexec –i NEXThink_Updater.msi –l*v C:/Temp/MSI_logs.txt and provide us this file
	MSI error (<error sent by MSI>)	MSI didn’t succeed to install on this computer	Please run MSI in debug log – “msiexec –i NEXThink_Updater.msi –l*v C:/Temp/MSI_logs.txt and provide us this file
	installation error	MSI didn’t succeed to install on this computer	Please run MSI in debug log – “msiexec –i NEXThink_Updater.msi –l*v C:/Temp/MSI_logs.txt and provide us this file

To check that the ADMIN$ share is accessible, use the following command:

$ smbclient -L //IP_TARGET_CLIENT
Enter admin's password: 
Domain=[QA-WIN7-X32-1] OS=[Windows 7 Enterprise N 7600] Server=[Windows 7 Enterprise N 6.1]

        Sharename       Type      Comment
        ---------       ----      -------
        ADMIN$          Disk      Remote Admin
        C$              Disk      Default share
        IPC$            IPC       Remote IPC

On win7, the ADMIN$ can be disable, you can enable it by adding a registry key:

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\system /v LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

1.7. Contact Information

If you require further assistance regarding the present case or if you want to contribute to the accuracy of published information, please open a case using http://support.nexthink.com.

CategoryV4 CategoryDeployment CategoryCollector CategoryInstallation

advanced/Deployer