Free School Alerting and Notifications offer from NetSupport

[Michael]

Thanks Al - it looks great, but definitely room for some improvement (especially for large AD structures). Considering all users will be part of one or more groups, it would make sense to be able to target groups for messaging.

[Al_NetSupport]

Thanks Al - it looks great, but definitely room for some improvement (especially for large AD structures). Considering all users will be part of one or more groups, it would make sense to be able to target groups for messaging.

 

Thanks Michael.

 

Not exactly sure what you mean ? Apologies if I have misunderstood or wasn't clear in my last response.

 

We provide a "department" format so all PCs or users from your AD structure "groups" can be easily assigned via a template config to be members of virtual departments. It's designed for (and used) by huge school districts as well as smaller schools.

 

This is from the manual and references AD integration and the ADM templates we also include to hopefully make easier ? Is this what you meant ?

 

Again, if I have misunderstood PM me and I can follow up tomorrow for you.

 

Al

 

 

 

 

From manual >>>>

 

Integration with Active Directory

----------------------------------

 

NetSupport integrates with Microsoft’s Active Directory structure enabling you to centrally manage Notification Agent configurations and control access to the Notification console. By creating an appropriate Group Policy, you can apply standardised Notification Agent Configurations to Agent machines without the need to visit individual desktops.

 

To make the task a little easier, NetSupport supplies two ready-made Administrative Templates, NetSupport_Notify_User.ADM and NetSupport_Notify_Machine.ADM containing the configurable options.

 

When you install the Console Component, the template is copied to the NetSupport Notify program folder.

 

NetSupport Notify also allows the Notify Agent department to be configured based on the logged on User.

 

To Apply Agent Configuration Changes via Active Directory :

 

1. At the Domain Controller, select the Active Directory Users and Computers tool.

2. Decide at which level to apply the policies, domain or organisational. Right- click on the desired container and select the Properties option from the context menu, then select the Group Policy tab.

3. Select the desired policy to add the NetSupport template to and click Edit. or

Select Add to create a new Policy.

4. In the Group Policy Editor under Computer Configuration, select Administrative

Templates.

5. Right-click and select Add/Remove Templates.

6. Click Add and specify the location of NetSupport’s ADM file and click Open. The new NetSupport policy will be added.

7. Click Close.

 

By default, each NetSupport policy option is disabled.

[Al_NetSupport]

Hopefully for others reading this helps too, if you want to set up departments and grouping - I asked our support team ( waaay smarter than me) how they typically communicate this to customers.

 

Hope this helps too.

 

Al.

 

 

 

Response was :

 

Using NetSupport Notify it is possible to target Agents by applying a Department name to them, it is then possible from the Console to send notifications to the specific departments you have defined. Within NetSupport Notify there are different methods to apply the department name to an Agent, I have placed details on each below:

 

1. Applying the Department name to your agents via their local Agent configuration file (Config.dat), this method would allow you to target groups of machines as you could deploy different config.dat files to different machines on the network. The Agent Service will read the config.dat file when this starts and apply the department name from this.

 

2. Applying the Department name via Group Policy, we also supply ADM and ADMX Template files with NetSupport Notify. These template files also allow you to assign the department name to your Agents. This can be applied via a Machine or User based policy. This method would allow you to assign the Notify department names to groups of users within Active Directory or groups of machines within a OU. When the policy is applied to a machine with the Notify Agent installed the Agent will update its Department name to the one enforced by group policy.

 

We supply the following ADM\ADMX Template files with NetSupport Notify:

 

NetSupport_Notify_Machine.adm

NetSupport_Notify_User.adm

 

NetSupport_Notify_Machine.admx

NetSupport_Notify_User.admx

 

3. Applying the Agents department name based on its AD Organisational Unit location. This can either be enabled via a new setting in the ADM\ADMX templates files for the Notification Agents or via the Agent Configurator.

 

When enabled the OU name for the machine account of the Agent PC will be reported to the Notification Console as the Agents Department name but also the OU name for the logged on User on the Agent PC will also be reported to the Notify Console.

[Tesla]

Thanks for this offer, it'll go along nicely with the 200 DNA Licenses we just brought using your last offer! (which is working very well, may i add!)

[Al_NetSupport]

Thanks for this offer, it'll go along nicely with the 200 DNA Licenses we just brought using your last offer! (which is working very well, may i add!)

 

You are very welcome @Tesla. Really pleased to hear you are another happy customer with NetSupport DNA. Please feel free to PM me if you need anything else.

 

More importantly - what do you think our next edugeek offer should be - a particular feature/product ( Remote Control, ServiceDesk / Classroom management or another IT Management offer with NetSupport DNA?

 

Al.

[DJ-1701]

This may be a silly question... If I want to push the agent out via the MSI... what syntax do I have to use? As it appears to only install 4 dll files by default as a silent install.

[win]

 

NetSupport Notify Mobile Console for Android/iOS

 

 

The NetSupport Notify Mobile Console for Android and iOS gives you the freedom to communicate with your Windows, Mac and Linux desktop users or unattended information displays on the move from an Android tablet/smartphone or iPad, iPod or iPhone.

 

Free to download from Google Play, Amazon App Store and iTunes, the Mobile Console allows you to send instant alerts and notifications to existing NetSupport Notify users via your established Notification Servers.

 

Key features when sending a notification from an Android/Apple iOS device:

 

Send alerts and notifications to Windows, Mac and Linux desktops from any Android or Apple iOS device.

Send full screen notifications to unattended digital public information displays.

 

How does the the app communicate with the server? Does the mobile have to be within the network on the internal wifi or does it communicate externally via the internet and firewall ports?

[Al_NetSupport]

How does the app communicate with the server? Does the mobile have to be within the network on the internal wifi or does it communicate externally via the internet and firewall ports?

 

In a nutshell, yes and yes

 

So internally the App talks to the server based on its network address and you could have the Notify Gateway located on any suitable device on your LAN, or you could either have the notification gateway located on your DMZ for external access ( you can set security for who can access it) or probably the most common option, is that you set a port forward rule for an external address (the address you use from your app) and then traffic is forwarded to your internal notification server address. PM me contact detaisl and can always get one of the Techie Elves in support to give you a call.

 

The above makes it really easy to use for trusts or School districts.

 

NetSupport Notify has the benefit that you can also have multiple notification servers setup at different locations for redundancy, and each agent will fall back to a second known one if the first is offlien for any reason.

 

Al.

[Primus]

For Group Policy it asks for the Gateway Key in encrypted form but I cannot find documentation on how to get this.

 

I've tried the key in the same form as entered on the server, I've tried copying and pasting from the config file on the server but no luck!

[DJ-1701]

This may be a silly question... If I want to push the agent out via the MSI... what syntax do I have to use? As it appears to only install 4 dll files by default as a silent install.

 

Anyone else using the MSI, it appears you have to add the condition AGENT=1 to install the NetSupport Notify MSI.

[DJ-1701]

For Group Policy it asks for the Gateway Key in encrypted form but I cannot find documentation on how to get this.

 

I've tried the key in the same form as entered on the server, I've tried copying and pasting from the config file on the server but no luck!

 

I know, the documentation isn't exactly the best. I looked at the "Config.dat" file in C:\Program Files (x86)\NetSupport\NetSupport Notify, on the Server and copied the value from there.

Edited June 6, 2017 by DJ-1701
Would help if I put the right filename.

[Primus]

Have you deployed the MSI using GroupPolicy to install on the clients?

 

I also only seem to get the 4 .dll files installing.

[Al_NetSupport]

For Group Policy it asks for the Gateway Key in encrypted form but I cannot find documentation on how to get this.

 

I've tried the key in the same form as entered on the server, I've tried copying and pasting from the config file on the server but no luck!

 

Going to get one of the tech team to jump on in a second as they are used to answering these far better than me. We do include a standalone utility that you can use to encrypt your gateway key.

 

Al.

[DJ-1701]

Have you deployed the MSI using GroupPolicy to install on the clients?

 

I also only seem to get the 4 .dll files installing.

@Primus, for this part I worked out the MSI needs AGENT setting to 1. As your using Group Policy to deploy it i'll see if I can create an MST.

[NetSupportTechSupport]

This may be a silly question... If I want to push the agent out via the MSI... what syntax do I have to use? As it appears to only install 4 dll files by default as a silent install.

 

When using the NetSupport Notify.msi file with an Active Directory Software Installation or SCCM the installation parameters will be added automatically when you add the MSI file.

 

If you need to add the MSI installation parameters manually at any point you would use the following: msiexec /i "NetSupport Notify.msi" /qn

 

Please be aware that you will also need to add the NSN.ini and a pre-configured Config.dat files to the folder the NetSupport Notify.msi file is located in to allow the installer to install the required Notify components and apply the connection details to the Notification Server.

[NetSupportTechSupport]

For Group Policy it asks for the Gateway Key in encrypted form but I cannot find documentation on how to get this.

 

I've tried the key in the same form as entered on the server, I've tried copying and pasting from the config file on the server but no luck!

 

Running the AgentConfig.exe file that you will find in the Notify installation directory will allow you to enter in the plain text value used when you created the Gateway Key during the Notification Server installation.

 

The encrypted value for the Gateway Key will then be written into the Config.dat file located in the same folder as the AgentConfig.exe file. This encrypted value can then be copied and used in the Notify Agent GPO to apply the required Gateway Key value to the Notify Agent machines.

 

Alternatively, you can contact us on [email protected] and we can provide our Encryption Utility to you to create the encrypted value.

[DJ-1701]

Going to get one of the tech team to jump on in a second as they are used to answering these far better than me. We do include a standalone utility that you can use to encrypt your gateway key.

 

Al.

 

When using the NetSupport Notify.msi file with an Active Directory Software Installation or SCCM the installation parameters will be added automatically when you add the MSI file.

 

If you need to add the MSI installation parameters manually at any point you would use the following: msiexec /i "NetSupport Notify.msi" /qn

 

Please be aware that you will also need to add the NSN.ini and a pre-configured Config.dat files to the folder the NetSupport Notify.msi file is located in to allow the installer to install the required Notify components and apply the connection details to the Notification Server.

 

Many thanks @Al_NetSupport and @NetSupportTechSupport!

 

Note to others: Files found in "C:\Program Files (x86)\NetSupport\NetSupport Notify" on Server.

[darkstar_bam]

Hi,

 

We've installed the software and activated the license. I can send messages to the 2 computers I've deployed the software to, but am I right in thinking they should be able to send messages or is it only the computer the server software is installed on that can send the messages?

[burgemaster]

Hi,

 

We've installed the software and activated the license. I can send messages to the 2 computers I've deployed the software to, but am I right in thinking they should be able to send messages or is it only the computer the server software is installed on that can send the messages?

 

You can install the "Notification Console" on their PCs

[fiza]

Hi,

 

We've installed the software and activated the license. I can send messages to the 2 computers I've deployed the software to, but am I right in thinking they should be able to send messages or is it only the computer the server software is installed on that can send the messages?

 

You can also have a web console so that designated operators can send messages without having the console installed.

[darkstar_bam]

Thanks for your reply, how do I access the web console? Is it via the IP address of the machine the server is installed on or is it a generic address?

 

Thanks

[Al_NetSupport]

Thanks for your reply, how do I access the web console? Is it via the IP address of the machine the server is installed on or is it a generic address?

 

Thanks

 

Normally schools embed the object we provide into a page on their Intranet so staff can access it.

 

Also, With the Notification Console a ‘Web’ folder is created in the installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\NetSupport\NetSupport Notify), if you add this folder as a Virtual Directory in IIS, you can then use the URL to send messages from any web browser.

 

There is a small section in the manual covering this, but feel free to scream if not clear and I'll get one of the techies to be a bit more detailed than me

 

Al.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Al_NetSupport

[NetSupportTechSupport]

Normally schools embed the object we provide into a page on their Intranet so staff can access it.

 

Also, With the Notification Console a ‘Web’ folder is created in the installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\NetSupport\NetSupport Notify), if you add this folder as a Virtual Directory in IIS, you can then use the URL to send messages from any web browser.

 

There is a small section in the manual covering this, but feel free to scream if not clear and I'll get one of the techies to be a bit more detailed than me

 

Al.

 

Further to Al's comments regarding the Notify Web Console that you can add into your IIS Server, please find below the full instructions on using the default.asp or ASP.NET methods for configuring the Notify Web Console:

 

There are two ways to configure the Notify Web Console depending on your security requirements.

 

1. default.asp

 

When using the default.asp page you are required to enter all of the Notify Server details along with the username and password before you can send a message.

 

This is not ideal as anyone that wishes to send a message needs to remember all of the information for all of the required fields.

 

There is however a workaround when using the default.asp page that will enable you to store the Notification Servers IP address, port number and Gateway Key, so the user will only need to enter the username and password when they want to send a message.

 

This workaround involves editing the default.asp page used for the ASP web interface so the Notification Server details are pre-configured on the page.

 

If you wish to try this method please follow the steps below on the Notification Server machine:

 

1. Navigate to the NetSupport\NetSupport Notify\Web folder and locate the default.asp file

2. Make a copy of the default.asp file in case you need to restore it

3. Open the default.asp file in Notepad

4. Select Edit | Find and enter formfields then press Enter. This will take to the section of the code that we need to edit

5. Change the value="<%=Request("GWAddress") %>" to be value="[NotifyServerIPaddress]" i.e. value="192.168.1.1"

6. Change the value="<%=Request("GWPort") %>" to be value="[PortNo]" i.e. value="443"

7. Change the value="<%=Request("GWKey") %>" to be value="[GatewayKey]" i.e. value="testing123"

8. Do not change the entries for the Operator or Password fields

9. Save the changes to the default.asp file

 

Now when you open the Notify web interface page you should see that the Gateway Address, Gateway Port and Gateway Key fields are already populated with the correct information.

 

The user can now just enter the required information in the User Name and Password field to gain access to the Notify Web Console.

 

2. ASP.NET

 

Using the ASP.NET component of the Notify Web Console will allow you to configure both the Notification Server connection details, and the username and password of the Operator to connect to the Notification Server.

 

This is done using the following method in the IIS Manager on the server:

 

1. Select the Notify entry in the IIS Manager hierarchy

2. Double click on the Application Settings icon in the ASP.NET section

3. Double click each of the entries listed under the Application Settings and add the relevant information in the Value field

4. Double click the Default Document icon in the IIS section, select the default.ascx entry and use the Move Up option to move the default.ascx entry to the top of the list

 

To use the ASP.NET method you will also need to have created an Operator entry on the Operators tab of the NetSupport Connectivity Server Configuration Utility window on the server.

 

Ensure you click the Apply button after adding the Operator account to enforce its use on the Notification Server. You can access the window by right clicking on the NetSupport Connectivity Server icon in the System Tray and selecting Configure Connectivity Server.

 

If you have any problems or questions please do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected]

[Al_NetSupport]

^^^^ Now you see why I let the Brains in TechSupport answer for me. Made my head hurt just reading it

[deano3693]

When using the NetSupport Notify.msi file with an Active Directory Software Installation or SCCM the installation parameters will be added automatically when you add the MSI file.

 

If you need to add the MSI installation parameters manually at any point you would use the following: msiexec /i "NetSupport Notify.msi" /qn

 

Please be aware that you will also need to add the NSN.ini and a pre-configured Config.dat files to the folder the NetSupport Notify.msi file is located in to allow the installer to install the required Notify components and apply the connection details to the Notification Server.

 

Probably me being really thick ... I am planning to deploy this tomorrow via Silent Install. I assume i can push the MSI out by silent install and then use the Group Policy ADM/ADMX templates to configure all the required settings or am i going to have to mess around with ini/dat files?

 

Dean.