IT Management Suite

Hi all,

Is it possible to configure a Package Delivery task to copy a specific package to computer during automation? (WinPE, in this case.)

We're looking to copy an existing installation package to a machine at build time, before Mini-Setup, so the machine can be shipped off and prepared by local staff - unfortunately, Package Delivery isn't doing that. It works fine within production but not within automation. To complicate matters, this needs to happen at various sites, so a native ITMS feature would be most helpful - particularly given I intend to adapt this solution into a patch-slipstreaming mechanism later on.

I could create a basic File Copy task to accomplish this, but the source is quite large and I'd prefer to not to unnecessarily duplicate an existing package. A File Copy task also won't allow a UNC copy if the path itself includes a variable (say, %ALTIRIS_PXE_SERVER%).

My original fallback idea was to use that %ALTIRIS_PXE_SERVER% variable in a UNC path and copy the files across directly with a DOS script, but this throws an "Access Denied" message, and I've no intention of mapping to the path with even the most restricted of accounts if the password is in plaintext (and Powershell in WinPE with encrypted password strings isn't an option for us yet).

The more unhinged of my possible solutions involved using Workflow-based web service as a "helper" robot, but I'd prefer not to engage in such lunacy unless I have to.

I'm at a loss and my noodle is well-baked after a fortnight of security panic. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there some fundamental ITMS feature I've forgotten about?

Hi deemacgee,

Instead of using Powershell in WinPE you can try to encrypt the password with loginw.exe (there is no need to enable Powershell in WinPE...)
If you would like to try it use this Link to my Article: https://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-securely-map-drive-winpe-deployment-server-71

just another idea...

Maybe there are also other workarounds but this one works great for us for many years....

Network23

Hi deemacgee,

Instead of using Powershell in WinPE you can try to encrypt the password with loginw.exe (there is no need to enable Powershell in WinPE...)
If you would like to try it use this Link to my Article: https://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-securely-map-drive-winpe-deployment-server-71

just another idea...

Maybe there are also other workarounds but this one works great for us for many years....

Network23

Thanks Network23, I'll look into loginw.exe as a partial workaround for now. Appreciate the tip!
I'd still love some sort of native, automation-friendly package-copying function.

Cheers

FYI: Package Delivery task is designed for delivery on Managed Computers with Software Managemetns Solution plug-in installed.

FYI: Package Delivery task is designed for delivery on Managed Computers with Software Managemetns Solution plug-in installed.

That seems a bit disempowered, to be honest. It's a package - why not allow the File Copy job to link to existing packages and have it bring them down to the target machine? Perhaps a feature request for Symantec to consider.

For future reference: I ended up creating a job which uses loginw.exe to map to the local package share and pull down the package. I'll just manually update the GUID as the targets change.

Thanks all.