Put Your Task Server to Work -- SVS Style

We have made the move to SVS for MS Office products and a few others. We are using the Task server for our Helpdesk team to deploy and manage the software in real-time after approval.

Our process has been working well and we wanted to share.

This document has been created to help the Altiris technician deploy an SVS software package to an end user. Please follow the steps below:

Prerequisites

1. SVS agent installed on clients without admin console.
2. Task Server agents deployed
   
   1. Altiris Client Task agent
   2. Altiris Client Script agent
3. SVS Task server plug in installed on NS
4. Create base SVS VSA for each application and placed it on DFS path so end users pull the package from closet server.
5. Used SVS plug on Task server to create tasks. Created all basic tasks to Manage layers and for the import made the path to the VSA DFS path.
6. Used Task server script job to create two tasks.
   
   1. Script to active and auto start the layers.
   2. Script to Import SVS layer to extend the time out feature of the task server to avoid confusion of the package failing after the default 30 min. Made for our remote VPN users.
7. Create a Task Job that combines the SVS import of the layer and the script task to active and auto start.

Adding SVS to the Mix

In this demonstration we will Import, Activate and Start Layer Automatically for Firefox 3.0 Beta1.

1. You will see the Task Manager Dashboard. Select "Run Task or Job".
   
   

   Click to view.

2. A new window opens "Select Task".
   
   

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3. Right column of window drill down to Firefox3.0Beta1 > Install-Firefox3.0Beta1 and "highlight" then click "OK".
   
   

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4. Fill in the Run Name with the "UserName".
5. Click "Select Computers"
   
   

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6. Click in the search field and type in the computer name.
   
   

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7. Highlight the computer name when found and click "OK".
   
   Note: you can select multiple computers before clicking "OK"
   

   Click to view.

8. A new window opens - Select "Run Now".
   
   

   Click to view.

9. A summary screen opens up showing your process. If you see the message "The client is processing the Job" then Altiris found that computer and importing the package (VPA). You will have to refresh the window by clicking "Refresh All" to see changes. If you see "Successful" after refresh all, then the package has been imported and ready to be activated.
   
   

   Click to view.

10. Close the summary window and you are finished installing the layer.
11. Verify the software has been imported, and activated by launching Firefox from the client's computer.

    At this point you have completed the layer install, activated, and Auto Start Automatically.

    For some reason if you have to manually activate, reset, deactivate or Auto Start a layer that is already installed then follow Step 2.

12. EX. Active and Start Layer Automatically - You will go through the same steps 1 thru 11 except Step 9 you want to EX. highlight Activate and Auto start Firefox3.0Beta1.
    
    

    Click to view.