NetSupport DNA Agent deployment through Group Policy

[jonnykewell1]

We've been giving NetSupport DNA and schools a trial after we noticed the advert on here for Edugeek Members. We wanted to deploy the DNA agent across the network to all machines on the domain but found this was going to be a little challenging, not just because it was a .exe but also it required us to enter the server name during the installation for it to connect to the administrator console. I figured it would be much nicer if I could just assign an MSI to a GPO and push this out to all clients in school, plus if we reinstall windows on any machines they will pick up the DNA agent again after they have joined the domain so that we don't forget to install it. We find the administrator console a little fustrating as we can't organise all the machines it finds into name order and it doesn't mirror the active directory tree by default to make it easier to deploy from here (anyone else find this?) anyway here are some instructions on deploying through group policy.

 

If you run the NetSupport DNA setup.exe you will notice that it extracts a 'netsupportdna.msi' to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp\randomfolder. The MSI was located in a folder with a really long random folder name which could potentially change on your machine so just filter the folders by date and look for the latest folder created. Within there will be the MSI used for deployment, nice! but now to figure out how to enter the server name so it can call home.

 

So my next step was to see within program files or within the registry for where the entry may be for specifying the server address for all machines but no matter where I looked I couldn't find an entry for server name. I managed to find some free software called orca MSI editor. The software examines the MSI file and shows you the different parts within the MSI including a registry key entry for 'ServerAddress' which apparently is located in HKLM\software\wow6432node\netsupport LTD\netsupport DNA\client

 

Now if you do a manual install of the agent this registry key does not exist BUT if you insert the registry key and restart the agent it connects to the server just fine and downloads all the necessary information. I've tested it and found no problems.

 

So, create a new GPO 'Net support DNA agent' , edit the policy and open computer configuration > policies > software settings > software installation. In here right click, choose new and browse to your MSI file which you should have copied to a your normal folder for software deployments from the local temp folder.

 

We now need to also assign the registry key to the same group policy to add this entry into each machines registry. First create the Registry key on a test machine so that you can then import this into group policy in the next step. So go to regedit on your test machine and locate the folder 'HKLM\software\wow6432node\netsupport LTD\netsupport DNA\client' right click and create a new string value and call it ServerAddress . Once you have done this, double click the key and enter the path for your server. I did it in the format servername.network.local

 

now on the server in the same GPO that you have just made Go to computer configuration > preferences > windows settings > Registry. Right click here and go to New and 'Registry Wizard'. Select 'Another computer' and enter the computer name for your test machine that you just made the registry key on. This will then load up the registry of that machine and you can browse to HKLM\software\wow6432node\netsupport LTD\netsupport DNA\client and select the registry entry. Select finish once you have chosen the 'ServerAddress' key.

 

If you double click into the registry key that has now imported and through all the folders until you find the lone registry key 'Server address' you can double click into the registry key and change the action from Update to Replace.

 

That's it, you should now be able to assign the GPO to an organisational Unit and deploy the client. Obviously I would test it out first on a machine to make sure you are happy. If you need any more information on doing this please feel free to comment or DM me. Hope this helps

[Al_NetSupport]

Wow and thank you Jonny. That's a really detailed summary and hugely useful. I really appreciate you documenting that. I have shared your post with our tech team as i am sure it will be a useful Tech Article to share with others. On reflection, its something we could ( should) have included in our documentation, so its a 50% thank you for spending your time documenting and a 50% sorry you had to.

 

Thanks again...and most importantly, i hope your trial is going well ?

 

Al.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Al_NetSupport

[Al_NetSupport]

We have now published a Technical Doc (TD) in our Tech Library covering this topic along with some additional information. We maintain an online library covering hundreds of topics and hand "how to's " for all our products.

 

Installing the NetSupport DNA Agent via Active Directory Group Policy Software Deployment

 

Thanks again to @jonnykewell1

 

Al.

[jonnykewell1]

Thanks Al. From my own experience having the ability to push out an MSI through group policy makes life much easier.

[Al_NetSupport]

Thanks Al. From my own experience having the ability to push out an MSI through group policy makes life much easier.

 

Can't disagree on that. We do include a deployment tool, but if you have the time and skills to set up, utilising a group policy is definitely a good call.

 

I hope your evaluation of NetSupport DNA is going well and you are getting to grips with the solution. Most schools that try it, want to buy it (hopefully i haven't just set the "commentators curse" on your decision ).

 

Al.

[Nausing]

@jonnykewell1 Thanks for the post. Few questions. I've ran the setup.exe but can't locate any .msi in the temp folder via a search on both server and a client.

 

I did however find an msi in the installation directory of the server named "NetSupport DNA Agent.msi" I will try your method with this msi.

 

NetSupport have a GPO deployment section in their DNA manual but doesn't have much info on where the DNA.ini or Agent MSI is.

 

Thanks anyway.

[Matt_NetSupport]

Hi Theo,

 

The DNA.ini file is located in the folder where the DNA Console is installed (you would therefore need to look on a machine where the Console was installed) - this is mentioned in " Technical Document Number - 799 depending on whether your OS is 32 or 64 bit it will be in one of the following locations (unless you changed the default install path):

 

32bit - C:\Program Files\NetSupport\NetSupport DNA\Console

64bit - C:\Program Files (x86)\NetSupport\NetSupport DNA\Console

 

With regards to the required .msi file(s) these are available on the product download page but I will ask a colleague to email links to these immediately.

 

As a result of your feedback we are reviewing our documentation and TD article to make this more clear - sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

 

 

If you need any additional assistance let me know and I will get our support team to call you.

 

 

 

Matt

 

@jonnykewell1 Thanks for the post. Few questions. I've ran the setup.exe but can't locate any .msi in the temp folder via a search on both server and a client.

 

I did however find an msi in the installation directory of the server named "NetSupport DNA Agent.msi" I will try your method with this msi.

 

NetSupport have a GPO deployment section in their DNA manual but doesn't have much info on where the DNA.ini or Agent MSI is.

 

Thanks anyway.