Client Management Suite

  I want to use Software Management to deploy IE9 to systems running Vista X86, Windows 7 x64 and Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008R2 both x64.  I want to use one Managed Software Delivery Policy for all 4 operating systems using 3 packages.

The packages I have are as follows:

IE9-Windows6.0-x64 win 2k8
IE9-Windows6.0-x86 WinVista
IE9-Windows6.1-x64 win7 & win2K8R2

 So as I am envisioning it is that I use a series of Applicability and Detection checks to decide which package to download and install similiar to how the Software Virtualization Plugin Install Task runs.  However, I can not find in my console where that task is written so that I can copy from that and build upon it.  Ive tried searching the forums for information related to upgrading to IE9 but all im finding is people saying to use software management and not patch management but not explaining how to do it.

  I am on a super short suspense with this one. I am licensed for both CMS and SMS.

I think you've already done the Detection and Applicability rules, but if not, base your detection rule as a registry string check against one of the keys at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.  Your Applicability rules will use Windows Version and 64-bit Windows Installed, for the most part.  Use 'systeminfo' at command line to find Windows Version of each OS you've mentioned.  Windows XP is 5.1, Vista/Server 2008 6.0, Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 6.1.

Now that each software resource has the appropriate applicability rule and detection rule, add all of them to a single Managed Software Delivery policy.  This is the same way patch management works if you examine a policy: there are 9 or so software resources, but when it executes the policy on, say, a Windows XP client, it says, "No, I'm not 64-bit, so those half are out -- I'm not Windows 2000 either.  Ah, yes, I'm only Windows XP 32-bit.  I'll run this one since all the other ones weren't applicable."  Same thing here.

Define a schedule for your policy and test on each OS you will target to ensure only one software resource runs for each and that the detection rule is valid.

Does this help?

I think the trick the SVS install uses is to change "Upon Failure" from "Abort" to "Continue" in the "Results-based Actions" tab of the Advanced settings for each Software Resource. That way, when the first applicability rule effectively says "Not Applicable" the whole Policy doesn't stop.

Make sure you don't have any automated uninstalls, though (the "Automatically upgrade software that has been superseded by this software" option) - with "Continue" set it can run the uninstall even if the install isn't Applicable.

Some of this may behave differently depending on the exact version of SMP/SWD you have.

And check out Joel Smith's Software Management article here: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/symantec-software-management-71-best-practices-part-1

I have the MSD policy built and I targeted my usual test systems. It does the applicability checks wonderfully and installs fine on windows 7 systems. However, on vista systems the Agent service stopped running at some point during the night. If I try to restart the service the agent fires up for about 30 seconds and then crashes. There are crash dump files in C:\Program data\Symantec\Syantec Management Agent\. What should I use to read these files? Should I open a ticket with support. We are on the latest release, Version 7.1.8400

Check the logs on the Vista machine to see why it's crashing.

Yes but is there any way to read the crash dump files or do i have to go through support for that?

I've only ever submitted crash dumps to support as part of issues I haven't been able to resolve.  Are you on 7.1 SP2?  There were issues with MSDs running in 7.1 SP1 that could cause crashes on Windows XP.