• Alternative method to deploy ESET Remote Administrator Agent (ERA Agent) in enterprise environments or environments with a high number of client computers. Deploy ERA Agent using conventional methods.

Prerequisites

• Install Microsoft Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) on your server.
   
• Create the install_config.ini configuration script. It contains the parameters for the agent to communicate with your ERA Server.
  
  ERA Server version 6.3 and earlier: create the .mst Agent installer transform file
  • Create the .ini configuration script
  • Create the .mst Agent installer transform file
     
• Save the Agent installer .msi file and the install_config.ini file to a shared folder all of your client computers can access with read and write permissions.
  
  ERA version 6.3 and earlier: save the transform .mst file to a shared folder all of your client computers can access with read and write permissions.

Deployment

1. Create a new GPO to deploy the ERA Agents. Open Group Policy Management, right-click Group Policy Objects and select New. Type a name in the Name field, for example Agent deployment, and click OK.
   

   

   Figure 1-1
   Click the image to view larger in new window
    

2. Right-click the domain and select Link an Existing GPO.

   

   Figure 1-2

3. Select the GPO that you created and click OK.

   

   Figure 1-3

4. Right-click the linked GPO and click Edit to edit the GPO in Group Policy Management Editor. 

   

   Figure 1-4
    

5. Expand Computer Configuration → Policies → Software settings.
    

6. Right-click Software installation, select New → Package and navigate to the location where the ERA Agent installer .msi is saved. Type the full Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of the shared installer package (for example, \\fileserver\share\filename.msi) and click Open.
   
   If you are deploying to 64-bit and 32-bit clients, repeat this step for both installer packages (Agent_x64.msi and Agent_x32.msi) and then follow the steps in Deploy ERA Agents to both 32-bit and 64 bit systems below.
    

Figure 1-5

7. Select Advanced and click OK.

Figure 1-7
 

8. Continue to step 10  if you are not using an .mst file.
   ERA version 6.3 and earlier only (.mst files): Click Modifications → Add.

Figure 1-8
 

9. Continue to step 10  if you are not using an .mst file.
   ERA version 6.3 and earlier only (.mst files): Navigate to the ERA Agent installer transform file (in the same location you referenced in step 6) and type the full Universal Naming Convention (UNC) .mst filepath (for example, \\fileserver\share\filename.mst) and click Open.
    
10. The package is displayed in the Group Policy Management Editor.

Figure 1-9
 

9. You can now use Group Policy to assign this package to client computers. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base article below for step-by-step instructions:
   • How to use Group Policy to remotely install software in Windows Server 2008 and in Windows Server 2003