Software Management Group

here is the scenario:  we would like to install a software on machines, but only run once.  how would we do this?

I have created a managed software delivery targeting a filter, but it keeps on installing the software over and over again. 

Our software inventory policy kicks of every two weeks, so even if I exclude the installed software, its useless.  is there another way that it flag it? 

If you haven't done so, create a detection rule for the piece of software you're installing.  That way, when the Managed Software Delivery runs, it will check first to see if it's installed.  If it's present, it won't reinstall.

You could also create a filter of machines that have the software installed, and exclude it from the Managed Software Delivery, so that as machines get the software and are added to the installed software filter, they'll be removed from the delivery policy. 

that won't really work, I already have a filter that has the software installed excluded from the target filter.  since our software inventory kicks off every two weeks. 

 

Is there a flag with in the policy when the software has been installed successfully?

You need the detection rule then, if you've already gone the filter route.  If you have a detection rule, then the installation will only run once.  The policy will continue to check for compliance, but will not run the installation again once it completes once.

could you show me how to do that?

Edit the Software Release for the software you're delivering.  Then, click on the Rules tab.  Click the "New" to the right of the Detection Rule dropdown.  Once there, you can create the detection criteria (you can look for registry values, file versions, etc.).  The exact detection you want to use is up to you, so you may have to experiment a bit to find what you are looking for.

Once the detection rule is created and saved, make sure the "Perform Software Compliance Check Using" box is checked on the Managed Software Delivery policy in the Policy Rules/Actions - Software section.

Hope this helps.

When you follow etk1131's suggestion above, bear in mind that the Detection rule is used for inventory as well so your Inventory will say that any PC that meets the detection rule has that software installed. You then also don't need to have a filter excluding PCs with the software installed - every filter in use slows the system down a bit and won't repopulate quickly if you rebuild the PC. I think you can set a schedule of 00:00 No repeat and it will only run once as soon as the PC gets the policy but using a proper schedule and detection rule is a much better approach.

Hi,

For more details about delivery via Managed Delivery Policy please read http://www.symantec.com/docs/GUIDES10019 (There is a section about best practices of using the Managed Delivery Policy)

Regards,
Dmitri

In that case add a delta inventory task to the end of the software delivery policy. If the machine gets the software it will then report the inventory right away and be excluded from the filter within a few hours.