2010
LANDesk
Software
Distribution
LANDesk Training
Brevard Public Schools
6/14/2010
LANDesk Software Distribution
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Software Distribution: ................................................................................................................................... 3
Creating the Package: ............................................................................................................................... 3
Scheduling the Task to Install ................................................................................................................... 6
Targeting (Selecting) the Computers that are to Receive the Package ..................................................... 9
Suggestions ................................................................................................................................................. 10
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LANDesk Software Distribution
Introduction
LanDesk Management Suite is:
 Software Distribution
 Power Management
 Patch Management
 Anti-Virus
 Host Intrusion Protection Services
 Operating System Deployment
 Inventory
 Scheduler
 LD Management Console
Software Distribution:
Software Distribution requires three processes:



Creating a distribution package
Scheduling the package installation
Selecting the devices requiring the package
Creating the Package:
1.
In the LD console, go to the distribution Packages section of the console either by
clicking the button on the left labeled ‘Distribution’, then ‘Distribution Packages , or, from the
menu bar, Tools Distribution  Distribution Packages.
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LANDesk Software Distribution
2.
Next decide what type of package are you going to deploy? This will be decided by the
software vendor, we will typically use:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Mac – for Macs
MSI – Microsoft Installer
SWD – package made with LD packager. This is like a .exe file but can ‘heal’
EXE – windows executable
BAT – batch file
You will choose your type based on what is supplied by the software vendor or what you
have created using Admin Studio (covered in a separate lesson and document).
3.
Create the distribution package:
a.
Right click My Packages, hover over New distribution package, and select the
type appropriately.
b.
Name it! It needs to start with your school number – e.g. 1161 Office 07 install
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LANDesk Software Distribution
c.
Fill in the blanks:
i.
Package Information: Description, primary file, self explanatory, right?
ii.
Install/uninstall options: Most are available for MSI or SWD tasks – it
will make the command line options for you! For exe, you still have
command lines you can add, but you have to know them.
iii.
Additional files: Do you need to copy files down to the computer during
the install? Add them here.
iv.
Dependent Packages: Does this package need another package needs?
Define it here.
v.
Prerequisites? If you have a query setup to show which machines can
handle this package, define it here. Could be used to define minimum
memory or hard drive requirements, etc.
vi.
Detection: If you don’t want this to run if it’s already installed, you can
define this in the detection section – define a file installed by this package
and if the installer finds it, it skips that machine.
vii.
Accounts: Install via local system or current user – depends on the
software requirements, but most should be fine with local system.
viii. Uninstall Association: If you have an uninstall package for this software,
you can associate it here.
ix.
Assign return codes: ignore, you shouldn’t have to mess with this.
x.
Save – you’re done! (Well, not quite). You now have to schedule the task
to install on the machines
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LANDesk Software Distribution
Scheduling the Task to Install
1.
Right click on your package, then choose ‘Create Scheduled Task’
2.
LANDesk will AUTOMATICALLY take you to the scheduled tasks section in the
console, create the task, and date/time stamp it – what more could you want?
3. Let’s look at the typical scheduled task – right click on it and select Properties. You will be
brought to the overview of the task.
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LANDesk Software Distribution
a. Distribution package: this is the software distribution package you just created. You
could change this if you made a new distribution package for the same purpose.
b. Delivery Method
i. Type:
1) Multicast – not appropriate for software distributions
2) Policy – will install next time client runs a compliance scan, could take
up to 3 days, but is unattended.
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3) Policy-supported push – will attempt to install now, but if the machine
isn’t on, it will try again next time machine runs an inventory scan –
default.
4) Push – standard Altiris style deploy – if a client isn’t available (busy or
not on the network,) this fails for those clients – you can either reschedule
it to run again, or get them by hand.
ii. Method: These are just how much network bandwidth you want to use – pick
your favorite.
c. Target Devices: Will show you which devices you have targeted. Also you now
have the option to wake up devices for this install, simply check the box!
\
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LANDesk Software Distribution
d. Schedule Task: Tasks start unscheduled, because you first have to target devices,
once targeted, you can start now, or schedule it for later. You can explore the options
below that at your leisure, they are all self explanatory.
e. If you made changes, save them.
Targeting (Selecting) the Computers that are to Receive the Package
1.
Select the computers from the ‘network view’ (the list of all your computers) and drag
them to the scheduled task.
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LANDesk Software Distribution
2.
If you want to start the task immediately, right click and choose Start now. If you want to
schedule it for later, right click the task, select properties, and set it appropriately in the ‘schedule
task’ section.
Suggestions
Making your own packages is good for things that are small to medium sized installs and involve
mapping drives and other procedures that require multiple steps.
If software comes with an MSI such as Google Earth, Photostory, etc., choose that when you are
creating your distribution package– it is much easier and will automatically give you uninstall
options and unattended options.
MS Office – this is how you do it in LANDesk
1. Create a new executable distribution package – name it xxxx Office 2007
2. Primary File = \\Your-Repository\Packages\Office07\setup.exe
3. Install Options – command line option = “-adminfile BPSOff07.MSP” without the
quotes
a. This includes BPS’s Volume License key and all standard settings.
4. Save and you’re done
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