TSM Client Deployment through Group Policy in Active Directory

[chalkd]

I have recently upgraded our TSM server to version 5.4. I am currently working on now upgrading our clients to version 5.4.2.0.

I am trying and testing this deployment through GPO in Active Directory but it does not seem to work for me. I have setup the GPO correctly I am using the MSI file which is extracted into the TSM_Images folder when a client is installed.

Has anybody successfully deployed this software through Group Policies and if so is there something I could be missing.

All Clients are on Windows 2003.

Thanks

 

[moon-buddy]

Have you created an answer or .ini file? Setup must work on quiet mode in order to work.

 

[chalkd]

Would this e something like an MST file? No I don't use any inifiles

 

[TheBaz]

Mst

Create an mst using orca or installshield and include all necesscary parameters

 

[moon-buddy]

Yes I meant MST files. Making MSI files to work on silent mode is not easy. I had better success rates on Install Shield and similar setups than MSI packages.

 

[chalkd]

Has anyone else any ideas on how this can bedone through GPO. I have over 600 systems to do and I really do not want to do them manually.

 

[moon-buddy]

I don't recall exactly: when the compressed install client is uncompressed, does the resulting uncompressed files contain a setup.exe?

If it does, the setup.exe maybe a modified Install Shield file that an answer file can be created from. However, here is the Catch 22 issue: deployment with AD cannot be in any other format except MSI. So you are left with only one real option: create a MST file.

I have used IBM Director extensively in the past to distribute software packages with 100% success rate. I would recommend this if you happen to have this already setup.

 

[Jeff_Jeske]

Can you provide a little more detail on the IBM director approach?

 

[moon-buddy]

I suppose you have IBM Director up and runnng, and that is why you are asking about this approach.

IBM Director has an added component called Premium Software Distribution. This is a buy-to-use component. IBM Director is free.

What you need to do is create a package from a TSM Client install using an answer file. Take note that it may not be possible to have an answer file. It all depends on how IBM has packaged the TSM Client. The answer file is created (the resulting file is called setup.iss) by going through an actual install process. To create the answer file, the setup.exe file must be able to support its creation. If the setup.exe was made using InstallShield, then a setup.iss can be created. The link below gives you more details.

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infoc...ield_package_wizard_premium_edition_only.html

As to how IBM Director can distribute the resulting package, search IBM's website for IBM Director's User guide.

Addendum: OK, I tried if TSM Client version 5.4.2.1 can create a setup.iss file from setup.exe, it cannot! To see if setup.exe can create setup.iss, type from a DOS command line: setup.exe /? to see all available switches. If /r or -r is there, setup.iss can be created.

I believe your only option is to use the .MSI file to create a silent .MST answer file.

 

[Jeff_Jeske]

^ Thank you. That answered 99% of my questions.