Here's an article that details how to modify the Deployment Agent properties from the Deployment Console. Sounds like a keeper. (At least worthy of a bookmark.)
When you change the Production Agent properties from the Deployment Console, all computers added to the Deployment system take on the settings as their default. However, you can change Production Agent settings for a specific client computer from either the Deployment Console or at the client computer.
You can change the following Production Agent settings:
Server Connection
Connect directly to this Deployment Sever. Select this option so that the client receiving the Deployment Agent will connect to the Deployment Server you selected to configure.
Address/Hostname. Enter the IP address or NetBIOS name of the Deployment Server computer.
Port. Enter the port number communicating with the Deployment Server.
Enable key-based authentication to Deployment Server. Select this option to require that the client computers that are trying to connect to the Deployment Server. This helps keep rogue computers from connecting to unauthorized Deployment Servers.
Discover Deployment Server using TCP/IP multicast. Managed computers can use the multicast address if they are on the same segment as the Deployment Server or if multicast is enabled on the network routers. Ensure that the multicast address and port match those set up on the Deployment Server. Try using defaults on both the client and Deployment Server if you are having problems connecting.
Managed computers should use the Deployment Server IP address if multicasting is disabled on the network routers or if they are not on the same network segment as the Deployment Server. The port number must match the number set on the Deployment Server. Otherwise, your clients will not be able to connect.
Server Name. Enter the NetBIOS name of the computer running the Deployment Server.
Port. Enter the port number distributing the multicast address.
Multicast Address. Enter the group multicast address.
TTL. Specifies the number of routers the multicast request is allowed to pass through. Change this setting if you need to find a Deployment Server that is more than 32 routers away (default setting) or if to restrict the search to a smaller number of routers, making it easier to find the closest Deployment Server.
Refresh connection after idle. Select the Refresh Connection after idle checkbox and then set the refresh time by seconds, minutes, hours, or days. The Deployment Server will close the connection after the specified time and immediately try to re-open the connection. This will force clients to realize the network is down.
The default checking is of 28800 seconds or 8 hours. It is recommend keeping this setting above 28800. Do not set this option too low--reconnecting to the Deployment Server increases bandwidth when connecting. If this option is set too low you can run into problems where it takes longer for your clients to connect than to refresh their connections.
Abort files transfers if the rate is slower than. Preserve bandwidth on slower connections by selecting this option, which will save bandwidth when running deployment tasks on slower connections.
Access
Set these commands to control how the client handles requests from the server.
Allow this computer to be remote controlled. Select to allow the administrator to remote control the selected computer. The default setting is to NOT allow the computer to be remote controlled.
Prompt the user before performing actions.
Shutdown and Restart. Select for the user to be prompted before shutting down or restarting the computer. This feature overrides the Power Control option from the Deployment Server to Force applications to shut down without a message.
Copy file and Run command. Select for the user to be prompted before running a program or executing file copy commands
Remote Control. Select for the user to be prompted before running the Remote Control commands.
You can set a default time before running or aborting the commands. Select the time for the user to respond and then either continue with the operation or abort the operation.
Time to wait for user response. If one of the Prompt the user before perform actions is selected and the user is not at the computer to respond, you need to decide whether to continue or abort. Select the amount of time you want to wait for a response, and then select one of the following:
- Continue the operation. Click to continue without receiving a response from the user.
- Abort the operation. Click to not continue without receiving a response from the user.
Select when the Deployment Server is denied access to the Deployment Agent. Select the days and then set the start and end times when access to the Deployment Agent is denied.
Security
This page lets you secure data between the Deployment Server and the Deployment Agent, or to set a password so that the user on the client computer can only view and modify the User Properties of the Altiris Client Settings on the managed computer.
Encrypt session communication with Deployment Server. Select to ALLOW encryption from this managed client computer to the Deployment Server. This allows encrypted data transmissions between the Deployment Server and the Deployment Agent on the client computer. If selected, then the client computer can connect (but is not required to connect) using encryption.
To enable encryption protocols, you must open the Deployment Configuration tool and select the Transport tab. Select the Allow encrypted sessions with the servers checkbox to allow Deployment Server to transmit using encryption protocols.
Require encrypted session with any servers. Select to require encryption between the managed client computer and the Deployment Server. If this option is selected and the option to allow encryption in the Deployment Configuration tool is not selected, then the Deployment Server will not communicate with the Altiris Client on the managed client computer.
Note: Selecting encryption options will slow down the communication path between the agent and the Deployment Server.
Password protect Admin properties from user. Select to allow users on the managed computer to access the Admin properties only if they enter the set password. If the box is selected and the user does not know the password, then they will only have rights to open the User Properties, which includes only the User Prompts and Remote Control tabs on the Altiris Client Settings dialog box.
- Enter the password in the Password field and reenter the password for confirmation in the Confirm Password field.
Hide client tray icon. Select to hide the Altiris Client icon in the system tray of the managed computer. If you hide the icon then you will be required to run AClient.exe - admin to view and modify the complete administration properties from the managed client computer.
Log File
The Log File property page controls how data is logged and saved in a Deployment Server system, allowing you to save different types and levels of information to the log files. You can save a text file with log errors, informational errors, and debugging data using this dialog box.
If the log exceeds the specified size then older data will be dropped from the files. You can maximize the size of the log file to save all selected data.
Save log information to a text file. Click to save information to a log file.
File name. Enter the name and path of the log file. The default is to save the log file to the \Program Files\Altiris\AClient\AClient.log file.
Maximum size. Enter the maximum number of bytes for each log file.
Log errors. Select this option to save only the errors returned when running a job or operation between the Deployment Server and the Deployment Agent.
Log informational messages. Select this option to save a list of procedural steps run on the client computer.
Log debugging information. Select this option to list comprehensive debugging information in the text file.
Use this tab to save the Deployment Agent log file. By default, the option Save log information to a text file is cleared. Select it to enter a file name for the log and the maximum size for the log file.
Note: If the log exceeds the specified size then older data will be dropped from the files, so it is recommended to provide maximum file size.
Proxy
Typically, remote networks on the other side of a router or switch cannot receive multicast or Wake On LAN packets from the Deployment Server. Setting the managed computer as a proxy client computer will forward or re-create the multicast packets. A managed client computer set up as a multicast proxy will simply act as a Deployment Server and advertise the server's name and IP address through multicasting. Or you can set the managed computer as a proxy to send Wake On LAN packets.
Set these options to control how the managed computer will act as a proxy agent, identifying the type of traffic this managed computer will forward from the server.
Forward Wake-On-LAN packets. Select if you want the managed computer to forward Wake on LAN packages.
Forward Deployment Server discovery multicast packets. Select if you want to advertise the Deployment Server to client computers on another LAN segment or if the client computer is on the other side of the router.
Send multicast advertisement every. Set the time by seconds, minutes, hours, or days for managed computers send multicast advertisement.
Startup/Shutdown
Delay starting jobs after system startup. Set the time by seconds, minutes, hours, or days for managed computers to delay jobs until after system startup.
Specify the Windows boot drive. Specify the drive that the client computer will boot from. The default is C:
Force all programs to close when shutting down. Select this option to shut down applications when using Power Control features. The user will still be prompted to Abort or Continue the shutdown.
Synchronize date/time with Deployment Server. Select this option to synchronize the system clock of managed computers with the time of the Deployment Server.
Prompt for a boot disk when performing automation jobs. Select this option to prompt for a boot disk while doing any automation jobs.
Advanced
Disabled direct disk access for Deployment Agent for DOS (BootWorks) communication. Select this option to disable the direct disk access for Automation communication.
Resource: Altiris Deployment Solution 6.5 Reference Guide