[sims] Manual Deployment with SOLUS 3

[TheMrB]

Hi all,

 

First post, so please be gentle.

 

I am in a position that I expect is not unique.

We have started to use SOLUS 3 in our school but have found ourselves with issues pushing SIMS updates, or SIMS in general, to freshly imaged machines.

Our support guys tell us that what we should in fact be doing is removing SOLUS from the target machine and redeploying it through the UI on our SIMS server. This works perfectly if we are, for example, reimaging a machine as a way of repair. The machine's name is in the deployment list and redeploying SIMS after the SOLUS agent doesn't do it automatically is very simple.

 

If, however, the machine has a new name, it doesn't appear on the list of machines to deploy to for around 24 hours in my experience. This causes issues when I am imaging a machine for a classroom that requires SIMS to be installed, well, yesterday!

 

The people that we pay for support assure me that this is A) Normal, and B) The only way to do it.

My question is, is there a way to manually install the SIMS installation to bypass the 24 hour wait I am experincing?

 

I know fully well that this will probably be a case of me missing something simple. But o be honest, this has caused so much stress over the last few months that I'm willing to take the ridicule.

 

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

 

Mr. B

[Rawns]

I'm not sure why you're having to wait 24 hours.

 

Do you include the SOLUS3 agent in your image? Or do you image a device then manually add it to SOLUS3?

[TheMrB]

Hi,

 

On advice, we removed the SOLUS3 agent from our image.

It never worked with it on the image anyway, we would have to uninstall it and update it from the deployment UI anyway.

 

I believe it's just a case of slow replication on the part of the server that it is based on. It can be as little as 20 minutes if I do the job over a quiet day in the holidays, and it's sunny, and there's an R in the month.

It is something I have an open call in with our support people for.

 

In my stubbornness though, I simply don't believe there's not a way to install SIMS manually if required!

 

Cheers for the reply.

[localzuk]

We don't do any automatic deployment here - its all done manually via the SOLUS3 interface, including the agent deployment.

 

All I do is click 'Update Environment' and follow the various windows to add the specific machine I want to manage to the deployment list. It then just deploys the agent and SIMS client straight away.

[Rawns]

With SOLUS3, there really is not a way, unless you manually re-deploy through SOLUS3!

 

I agree with the SOLUS3 Agent not being in the image. If it was and you got the devices to 'check in', you would still have to manually add the workstations to the SIMS/FMS/Discover channels anyway.

 

So, you add a new re-imaged device into the SIMS channel for example, it asks for credentials to install the agent, the agent installs successfully then it comes online in the SOLUS3 UI? Is it then you wait 24 hours for SIMS to automatically install?

[TheMrB]

It is my understanding that that is exactly what our system is supposed to do.

But once the deployment of SOLUS is complete, the SIMS deployment seems to fall over!

 

But this only seems to happen when it's a new machine name. If i took "Headteacher-1" and reimaged it, kept the name and deployed SOLUS3 after the image, all would be fine.

If I remname it to "Headteacher-2" I can get SOLUS3 installed, but the deployment of SIMS doesn't happen and it can be some time before the computer appears on my deployment list.

[TheMrB]

So, you add a new re-imaged device into the SIMS channel for example, it asks for credentials to install the agent, the agent installs successfully then it comes online in the SOLUS3 UI? Is it then you wait 24 hours for SIMS to automatically install?

 

The agent installs successfully, every time.

The automatic install generally doesn't happen. And it takes up to 24 hours for the machine name to appear in the list of deployable machines within the Deployment History to allow me to use the redeploy facility to get SIMS installed.

 

Sorry this seems so convoluted, I'm essentially jumping into a system that I don't run, but I've been left to manage and I'm trying to understand it.

 

EDIT:

If it was and you got the devices to 'check in', you would still have to manually add the workstations to the SIMS/FMS/Discover channels anyway.

Hold on a sec. There is a way to manually add the names to the channel?

What am I missing? How do I do that?

Edited October 10, 2013 by TheMrB

[Griff]

SOLUS 3 Screen > Homescreen > Agents > Update Environment > Under SIMS Workstation heading click Select computers > Click add > you can ad via browsing computers or do what I do which is just type the computer name in the bottom and click add you will the be asked for domain username and password plug that in and boom...

 

Always remove machines you no longer want to have agent or if you are reinstalling make sure you remove the machine from that list uninstall manually from the computer and then re-add the machine

 

got to love SOLUS3 we refused to use for nearly 3 years but couldn't keep running away from it

[Rawns]

Hold on a sec. There is a way to manually add the names to the channel?

What am I missing? How do I do that?

 

That's how you tell SOLUS3 what software packages to install on the workstations. If the machine is going to have FMS but you don't add it to the FMS channel, FMS won't be installed. Instructions on how to add from @Griff above.

[TheMrB]

Interesting.

It seems I may have a larger problem at hand after all.

Not only is the "SIMS Workstation" channel showing ZERO machines defined, but it won't allow me access to add to them.

Time to yell, scream and shout at support.

 

Thank you ever so much for your help everyone.

 

My god do I hate SOLUS3.

Remember when an installation used to be simple?

[Rawns]

I think I know what you are doing. Are you installing the SOLUS3 Agent against devices using the 'Auto Setup' feature?

 

http://i.imgur.com/WB7bQJD.png

 

That will install SOLUS3 and then see what SIMS software is installed by checking the SIMS.INI. If these machines are re-imaged and have no SIMS/FMS/Discover installed, SOLUS3 will find nothing and just sit there. To actually get SIMS, FMS or Discover installed, you have to add the workstations into the appropriate channels based on what software you WANT to install onto them. Add them to the SIMS channel and save, then SOLUS3 will automatically install SIMS. Same for FMS.

 

the Auto Setup should only be used to add existing devices that have Capita Software installed. If it finds a SIMS.INI file and sees SIMS and FMS is installed, it will automatically add the workstation into the appropriate channels.

 

For re-imaged devices, avoide it and manually add devices into the SIMS Workstation/FMS Workstation/Discover Workstation channels to get the SOLUS3 Agent installed and get the appropriate software automatically installed.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Rawns

[TheMrB]

That's exactly what I'm doing.

That answers several question I've had.

I still need to chase and fix this issue

But I reckon that fixing that, and following the instruction provided will cure all my ills.

[Rawns]

That's exactly what I'm doing.

That answers several question I've had.

I still need to chase and fix this issue

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20835[/ATTACH]

But I reckon that fixing that, and following the instruction provided will cure all my ills.

 

Click Select Computers | Add | Browse Agent Computers (shows you all devices currently in SOLUS3 with Agents installed) | Select any in the top you want SIMS on ant click Add | Save | Save | OK. SOLUS3 will now deploy SIMS .net. You can see the progress in the SOLUS3 Agents window.You'll see messages like "downloading update", "Running task SIMS Client in Install mode" etc.

 

Is everything g else defined? eg, 1 SIMS SQL Server, 1 SIMS Database, 1 SIMS DMS, 1 SIMS File Server?

Edited October 10, 2013 by Rawns

[TheMrB]

I get a "No Module Loaded" error when I hit Select Computers.

Everything else is showing Zero defined computers as well.

 

There is clearly a step I'm missing somewhere to get everything defined as it should be.

The joys of not being the Network Manager

[Rawns]

I get a "No Module Loaded" error when I hit Select Computers.

Everything else is showing Zero defined computers as well.

 

There is clearly a step I'm missing somewhere to get everything defined as it should be.

The joys of not being the Network Manager

 

That's one of two things. When you click that button, SOLUS3 checks with Capita's servers to make sure you are licensed to deploy SIMS to devices. It either means 1) According to Capita's servers, your not licensed to use SIMS, or 2) Your proxy is incorrect in SOLUS3 and it cannot contact Capita's servers.

 

In almost all cases, it's usually 2) that's the issue. At the main menu, go to My Site and check the proxy settings tab. If all seems correct, you;ll need to get in touch with Capita.

[TheMrB]

All seems OK as far as the Proxy settings go.

I guess it's a call to Capita I need to do. Almost as painful as SOLUS itself that is.

 

Thanks!

[Griff]

All seems OK as far as the Proxy settings go.

I guess it's a call to Capita I need to do. Almost as painful as SOLUS itself that is.

 

Thanks!

 

So...you should get this resolved around Christmas next year post back let us know how it went haha nah seriously hope you get it sorted some of the support guys can be pretty good when you get to second line

[Rawns]

All seems OK as far as the Proxy settings go.

I guess it's a call to Capita I need to do. Almost as painful as SOLUS itself that is.

 

Thanks!

 

Found this on SupportNet:

 

When the user opens up the SOLUS 3 UI, SOLUS 3 communicates with Capita servers to ensure that all the required modules for SOLUS 3 have been downloaded and are present on the system. If it cannot perform this check then the user will be presented with the error message

 

SOLUTION:

 

1) Close down the SOLUS 3 UI and re-open it and perform the same procedure in the UI - If the same error occurs move on to step 2

 

2) Browse to either of the following locations depending on your operating system:

C:\ProgramData\Capita\Solus3\Modules

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Capita\Solus3\Modules

There should be 17 files in total in this location.

 

3) Check Proxy server settings - In the SOLUS 3 UI go to My site- Proxy Settings - Ensure in here that you have defined your proxy settings correctly - You can check this once these have been adjusted by attempting to browse to the below site. If you receive a 403 - Access Denied then this is expected and means it is working properly so this step can be ignored. Once this is done please close down the UI and re-open

 

http://s3ws.capitasolus.co.uk/

 

Failing all of the above, please log a case with the service desk. We will need the following:

 

Browse to either of the following locations depending on your operating system:

 

C:\ProgramData\Capita\Solus3\Logs

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Capita\Solus3\Logs

 

Once in here, please send us the UI_Systemlog.txt in to [email protected]

 

On a side note, make sure your account and the SYSTEM account have full access to these locations:

 

C:\ProgramData\Capita\Solus3\Modules

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Capita\Solus3\Modules

Edited October 10, 2013 by Rawns

[TheMrB]

Sadly, none of that seemed to resolve the issue.

I'll get a call logged with Capita and let you guys know how I get on.

 

Thanks again everyone.

[TheMrB]

A relatively speedy fix from Capita today.

It turns out that not being the guy that installed the Deployment UI has pretty negative effects.

 

The permissions for the server's Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys folder(s) were wrong. Only giving the network manager access to the required files to populate the list.

Of course it was going to be something dumb like that.

 

Thanks again guys. Really appreciate the help.

[Rawns]

Of course! Forgot all about that old chestnut! Glad it's working for you.

[TheMrB]

You say that, thinking about it, I'm sure we've seen it before.

But we've since virtualised and everything was re-installed, clearly under the wrong permissions! I couldn't believe it when the guy went directly to the folder! I felt like a complete imbecile!