[sims] SOLUS - New user, any tips?

[mrbios]

Seems we're finally getting up with the times, i've been requesting this from our LA for a while now....

 

I've just installed SOLUS, and before getting too deep into configuring it, are there any tips/recommendations?

 

I'm looking blankly at the auto deployments screen at the moment wondering what to set as a deployment time period. Is it best to outline this for when the PCs aren't in use? I've got them all set to shutdown from 10pm, so i could set auto deployment for 16:00 - 22:00? or is it fine to set that to run at any point in the day?

 

Thanks

[Steve21]

Personally I can't stand auto deployment, means it'll automatically do it, but also any deff patches/versions get sent out instantly.

 

You can still tell it to deploy at times just not automatically, but just my preference.

 

Steve

[mrbios]

Personally I can't stand auto deployment, means it'll automatically do it, but also any deff patches/versions get sent out instantly.

 

You can still tell it to deploy at times just not automatically, but just my preference.

 

Steve

 

Ok, so if i turn off auto deployment i can just select clients manually to deploy to when i want? Perhaps i should start with that and work my way into auto if i want to.

 

EDIT: I'm somewhat confused by the email settings. It's all well and good having a "Send test email" button....but where do i tell it where to send it o_O or does it send an email to the sender address? which would be annoying.

Edited February 24, 2016 by mrbios

[Steve21]

There's 3~ auto's:

 

There's auto download updates to server rather than manual. That's lovely I think saves faff manually downloading

Auto download to client - Normally I set this as like an early morning thing (or evening) as if there's a large update take Summer one you're suddenly forcing that upgrade to every machine at once.

Then there's auto deploy out which is the installing updates at set times etc , which I dislike for the breakage reasons. Also means it'll kick people etc (at least old version)

 

Steve

[mrbios]

Cheers Steve, I think i'll go for a similar setup initially then.

 

I've got 4 options for auto deployment, FMS, SIMS, SIMS Discover and SOLUS. Do you set them all to be manual, or still leave SOLUS to do auto updates of itself?

[Steve21]

When you say 4, do you mean 4 under auto deployments?

 

This is based on my old test machine here so tabs might have changed slighty but there's :

Settings -> Solus3 -> Agents -> Auto Download (Turn on - Set to early morning or late evening (We had 6am-8am))

Settings -> Solus3 -> Auto Deployments -> FMS/SIMS/SIMS Discover/SOLUS (Turn all off)

and Settings -> Solus3 -> Updates -> Updates -> Auto download (Turn on)

 

If you want my opinion, as that would mean you get downloads to SIMs server/Clients automatically, but nothing is deployed without you manually doing it. (Even client/Solus updates)

 

Steve

[mthomas08]

We don't do auto deploy in anyway, when updates are released we plan around half terms. This allows us to make sure all Staff PCs are turned on and ready for it. Also allows us to make sure it's updated correctly.

 

One tip I recommend is holding back before you install recent updates, usually there are fixes and in the times we've done the updates we have encountered problems. Our last update had to be sorted out by Capita because the one before that caused Solus clients to lose connection to the server. Although SIMs.net was fine, Solus on the other hand had to be manually sorted out with a Capita Script before we can run the actual update (which was needed for the Data Manager).

 

Document everything, be prepared to allow Capita remote access to the server and make sure Solus is allowed in the firewall (unless you turn it off).

[mrbios]

Next question:

sims.ini file, what should be in it? It's telling me to point at one, but it also says in the documentation not to include the "SIMSDotNetDirectory". Should i just grab one off a teacher PC and take out that one entry? or should i use the one on the server?

 

EDIT: The discover config tab also won't let me enter any information. I definitely run discover and have the server installed, but i can't type in any of the boxes.

 

My sims.ini file currently looks like this:

[LastChecked]
SIMSInfrastructureSetup=5.592.2.0
[setup]
SIMSDirectory=S:\SIMS
SIMSSetupsDirectory=S:\SIMS\Setups
SIMSDotNetDirectory=C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\SIMS .net
Folder=SIMS Applications
SIMSDiscoverDirectory=C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\Discover Client\

 

Presumably i won't need the setups directory any more, and i need to remove the dotnetdirectory, what about the rest?

Edited February 24, 2016 by mrbios

[mrbios]

As well as the SIMS.ini file and lack of access to sims discover client settings, I'm up to "Services" on the environment targets. I'm not really sure what I'm meant to be pointing to in terms of installation path....is it asking for a path where it's already installed (in which case, i don't know) or is it asking for a path for a new installation of a service?

 

I'm guessing "C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\Discover Services" is the correct location for the sims discover services installation location. No idea about the SIMS file server one though.

Edited February 24, 2016 by mrbios

[Ghostgame]

Do you have the SOLUS3 documentation which Capita provide?

[mrbios]

Do you have the SOLUS3 documentation which Capita provide?

 

Yea, but it's not overly instructive on the installation path locations of the contents of the sims.ini file besides saying not to include that one line.

[mrbios]

Ok I'm already annoyed with this, all of the above is sorted. No problems with any of that now.

 

However, I added all the machines to install the agent, and they all failed.....must have been a mistyped password because they're working fine now. Except how the hell do i force the ones that are in the list as "Install failed" to retry? If i bulk select them i can't tell them to reinstall the agent, and i can't mass delete them to retry. :|

EDIT: Actualy, ignore that, i've just gone for the mash left click and enter option repeatedly. All installing fine now

Edited February 24, 2016 by mrbios

[Steve21]

On the report for that deploy (you'll find like a failed/waiting etc), there's a list of ones that failed and the option to retry them.

 

Steve

[mrbios]

On the report for that deploy (you'll find like a failed/waiting etc), there's a list of ones that failed and the option to retry them.

 

Steve

 

Ah thank you, i'll remember that for next time then (i just went through mashing delete and left click this time lol)