Have you ever cloned your DS jobs for copying to various computer build folders, and then been frustrated when you have to locate each copy later to update them? If so, then Deployment Solution job shortcuts are for you, so read on.

Introduction

The idea behind Deployment Solution shortcuts is simple. You maintain one master job, and when you want to create a copy you instead create a job which is simply a reference the master.

To illustrate, let's look at a sample jobs pane which is causing you, the DS Admin, some grief.

Above we can see a typical looking DS jobs pane -here we have build folders for various types of computer defined by hardware and role,

• Administrator Desktop
• Administrator Laptop
• Computational Desktop
• Public Access Desktop
• Staff Desktop
• Staff Laptop

Each of these build folders contains a number of jobs. The first job in the list deploys a generic Hardware Independent Image, and the remainder deploys the software. Fairly simple I think you'll agree.

Now, what happens when you need to update one of the pieces of software -say Adobe Reader. This happens to be present in all of the 6 builds listed above, so you'll need to modify the Adobe Job in each and every one of these build folders to ensure the job is updated across the board.

There is simpler way though -you can create a master folder for software and utilise shortcuts. Lets see how this is done, taking Adobe Reader as an example.

Creating a shortcut

Lets say you have a job folder called Software and have a job to install Adobe Reader 8.1.2 in there. A shortcut can be created by,

1. Create a new job
   Call it '--> Install Adobe Reader 8.1.2'. The arrow is a visual reminder that this job is a shortcut.
2. Add a Run Script task to the job
   In the script box, enter in the following simple REM line,

   REM Do Nothing, except return an success error code!
   
   

   This job will always return a success to the console, and it will do so quickly. Click 'Next' to proceed.

   
3. Script OS Run Options
   The next Wizard window which allows you to select whether to run the script on the client or server, and whether in automation or production. Stick with the defaults -you want it to run on the client, in the production OS.
4. Return Codes
   This is where we implement the actual shortcut. When a job has finished executing, we can on this wizard page define how DS should respond to the exit code. As the REM command will always return 'success'. At the moment, the job will simply continue on success. Lets intervene here -pull the drop down box and select Select a Job...
   
5. Select a Job
   In the select a job window that appears, navigate to and select the 'Adobe Reader 8.1.2' job. Click 'Finish'.

This job will now always call your original Adobe Reader job, and you can create as many copies of this shortcut as you like safe in the knowledge that changes to the master will replicate nicely.

Other Advantage to Job Shortcuts

Aside from reducing the labour in updating jobs, shortcuts are also handy from a security point of view. For instance, with shortcuts you could have your main software folder in complete control of your software guru, and provide access to your DS Helpdesk crew by providing shortcuts (whose target jobs they cannot edit).

This provides certainty that when you see a job running as a shortcut that the job contents have not been tampered with.

If you think shortcuts are cool, subscribe to the enhancement request below for making shortcuts natively supported in the console as new job class.

https://kb.altiris.com/article.asp?article=43211&p=1

Kind Regards,
Ian./