Endpoint Integration Guide › Group Policy Deployments › Group Policy Installation

Group Policy Installation

For a Group Policy installation, select an appropriate Active Directory organizational unit (OU) that contains the target computer. Then define a group policy object (GPO) that contains a software installation package. As soon as the GPO is created, CA DataMinder is deployed to the target computers when they next reboot.

Note: For full details about Group Policy, refer to your Windows documentation.

To deploy using Group Policy

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

   Find this application in the Administrative Tools folder.

2. Select an organizational unit (OU).

   This OU must contain computers targeted for CA DataMinder deployment (because you will base the GPO on computer accounts, not user accounts).

3. Create the GPO based on the Group Policy properties of your chosen OU, for example, ‘CA DataMinder Rollout’.
4. Edit the GPO Security settings to specify which machine accounts the GPO applies to.

   For each target computer, enable the Apply Group Policy permission.

5. Create a new software installation package for the GPO Computer Configuration (this is a Group Policy property of the OU).

   This installation package enables you to assign the software forcibly to target computers.

   CA DataMinder Rollout Policy
   - Computer Configuration
     - Software Settings
       Software Installation
     + Windows Settings
     + Administrative Templates
   User Configuration
   

   GPO Computer Configuration, Software Installation

6. Configure the software installation package to point to the Client.msi file that you created as part of your administrative installation source image.

   If necessary, configure the package to point to the .msi files for the unwrapped Visual C runtime libraries (see the previous section).

7. Define the properties of the installation package.
   1. Deployment method: When prompted, click the ‘Advanced assigned’ method. You must select this method so that you can apply modifications to the package—see step 7.c.
   2. Deployment options: If you need the ability to:
      • Selectively uninstall CA DataMinder from client machines (see the Group Policy Uninstallation section), select the option Uninstall this application when it falls out of the scope of management.
      • Forcibly overwrite any existing versions of CA DataMinder on client machines, select the advanced option 'Remove previous installations of this product from computers if the product was not installed by Group Policy-based software installation'.
   3. Modifications: Specify the following transforms:
      • SetParentName.mst: This transform is essential! It enables the installation package to identify its nominated parent server correctly.

        Note: Without this transform, client machines cannot identify their parent server and CA DataMinder fails to install.

      • Appmon.mst: (Optional) By default, a GPO installation performs a ‘Typical’ setup, which excludes CA DataMinder application integration. But you can specify this transform to install application integration.

        Note: Application integration enables CA DataMinder to monitor usage of desktop applications.

      • ClientLockDown.mst: (Optional) This transform prevents users from uninstalling CA DataMinder with the Add/Remove Programs utility.
8. The GPO is now complete.

   CA DataMinder is deployed to the target client machines automatically when they next reboot.

More information:

Before You Start using CA DataMinder

Before Installing with Group Policy

Install Application Integration: EnableAppmon_Client.mst

Group Policy Uninstallation

Prevent Automatic Startup: DisableAutoStart_Client.mst