[sims] SIMS Installation

[SayLHP]

Hi all,

 

I'm a primary tech who's very recently been thrust into the work of NM since my predecessor left for pastures new, I've been left with no documentation apart from a network map and a server list. I've managed to sort out the onboarding for the new year 7, GPM, AD, Folder redirection and all that. I've had an influx of new staff and deploying SIMS appears to be the straw that's about to break the camel's back.

 

Does anyone have a guide they could throw my way regarding deployment of SIMS to devices using SOLUS 3? I just can't get my head round it.

 

Currently going through baptism by hellfire for my first start of academic year as NM but survived so far... many thanks in advance!

[Steve21]

Assuming it's all setup and working already, and it's a new machine, just go into Solus3, add a target using the AD browser tool to go into an OU and select the machine from left->right side (select SIMs/FMS etc as per the tickboxes) and it should deploy out the agent and then install SIMs afterwards

 

Steve

[SayLHP]

Thanks for replying Steve. Been getting a bit fraught with new teachers hunting me down for SIMS as they want their Classcharts access [emoji28]

 

It is all setup and working already, I added the devices via AD browse bit and they've just been failing and stating they're offline, all bar one. They're freshly imaged devices.

 

From my understanding FMS is the financial side of things, so new devices for classroom teachers shouldn't require this bit? Or am I entirely wrong in this assumption?

[Steve21]

Some schools give staff FMS access if they’re using it for things like department orders. But in general you’re right that most shouldn’t

 

Regarding the failing part, the biggest reasons for this normally are things like the firewall rules aren’t setup right (normally set via GPO do you don’t have to manually do it)

 

What was the error it logged if it’s saying it failed?

 

Steve

[SayLHP]

 

Oof, the credentials I supplied were the previous NM's Account (credentials reset and turned it into an admin account as I've not fully figured out some missing permissions from my admin a/c) that's where I've been going wrong. Guessing there's some dedicated credentials somewhere that I've not yet found.

 

I'll have to check the other device hostnames as they're on a note on my desk. Thanks Steve, I really appreciate your replies.

 

 

edit: Just an additional thought - odd that it's deployed to one of the 6 new devices though using those credentials

Edited September 2, 2022 by SayLHP

[Guest Guest]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]66321[/ATTACH]

 

Oof, the credentials I supplied were the previous NM's Account (credentials reset and turned it into an admin account as I've not fully figured out some missing permissions from my admin a/c) that's where I've been going wrong. Guessing there's some dedicated credentials somewhere that I've not yet found.

 

I'll have to check the other device hostnames as they're on a note on my desk. Thanks Steve, I really appreciate your replies.

 

 

edit: Just an additional thought - odd that it's deployed to one of the 6 new devices though using those credentials

Are you able to logon to the device locally using those credentials?

 

I get the same error if I use my domain admin account (this is blocked from logging into workstations), if I use my account with admin access to the target machines it installs without issue

[Boredguy]

Word of warning with Solus 3 and deploying SIMS to new workstations, if you updated to the latest windows updates on the servers over the summer, Solus 3 can't push out the updates to clients as it used SMB1 which Windows patched up =/

 

It's easier to copy the entire SIMS.Net folder from the Program Files (x86) Folder on an existing station onto a new one.

[3s-gtech]

It shouldn’t need that. I turned off SMBv1 years back and SOLUS3 never played up.

[SayLHP]

Are you able to logon to the device locally using those credentials?

 

I get the same error if I use my domain admin account (this is blocked from logging into workstations), if I use my account with admin access to the target machines it installs without issue

Yes, I use that account for logging in on devices, as well as deploying images.

[DrCheese]

Word of warning with Solus 3 and deploying SIMS to new workstations, if you updated to the latest windows updates on the servers over the summer, Solus 3 can't push out the updates to clients as it used SMB1 which Windows patched up =/

 

It's easier to copy the entire SIMS.Net folder from the Program Files (x86) Folder on an existing station onto a new one.

 

Long as your SOLUS server and your workstations are on the same version of updates you're good to go - Doesn't use SMB1.

[SayLHP]

Really stupid question though, does the SOLUS3 agent need installing first, or just adding it in via the AD method work?

[TwistedHelixis]

does the SOLUS3 agent need installing first

No. When you deploy a new SIMS install from Solus3, the first thing it will do is push out the Solus3 agent.

[password1234]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]66321[/ATTACH]

 

Oof, the credentials I supplied were the previous NM's Account (credentials reset and turned it into an admin account as I've not fully figured out some missing permissions from my admin a/c) that's where I've been going wrong. Guessing there's some dedicated credentials somewhere that I've not yet found.

 

I'll have to check the other device hostnames as they're on a note on my desk. Thanks Steve, I really appreciate your replies.

 

 

edit: Just an additional thought - odd that it's deployed to one of the 6 new devices though using those credentials

 

 

 

Could be firewall issue seen this before

 

Here is a script we tend to run on all workstations that needs SIMS deploying (Save it as a .bat file)

 

 

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Solus 3 DS" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=52965netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Solus 3 DS" dir=out action=allow protocol=TCP localport=52965netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Solus 3 Agent" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=52966netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Solus 3 Agent" dir=out action=allow protocol=TCP localport=52966netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Solus 3 Agent UI" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=8739netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Solus 3 Agent UI" dir=out action=allow protocol=TCP localport=8739netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="windows management instrumentation (wmi)" new enable=yesnetsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Windows Remote Management" new enable=yesnetsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new ENABLE=Yes

 

or another thing is under the username / password box in within solus before you deploy the agent ensure you add fulldomain.name/admin username

Edited September 4, 2022 by password1234

[round2it]

yes defo domainname/admin name

[SayLHP]

Thank you all for your help! I really appreciate it!

 

Turns out the domain/user was the trick! As well as selecting things in the correct order, such as product > device.