Hi, do you have a suggestion about the steps to follow and best scripts to include in the profile when enrolling the endpoints of a new client ? A sort of Standard Operating Procedures to use on a new client. Thanks
Hi, that is a very open ended question with no real answer as one size does not fit all, in other words a SOE per client or client type is perhaps a better way to approach this.
If your client systems are domain joined, then just about everything can be done from that setup, even pushing out the agent.
If Azure, then depending on the plan, same thing applies.
A business such as a small retail shop will have far different requirements than a legal firm.
Mum and Dad systems, again totally different.
I have been with Itarian for the last 12mths only, so fairly new and still getting my head around the platform, so no expert, but working with other RMM’s has assisted in sometimes show shortcommings, other times just need to rethink what the outcome required is, and work to that goal.
In general my setup is like this for a new client:
Create the customer in the portal first, (decide if your email is used or the client’s eg alerts etc)
Work out if just the one general group is enough, if not create groups under the customer.
Create a bulk installer and have on a web-portal or usb etc I rename mine to identify by client and keep one generic handy as well.
Its easy moving between groups and owners etc if that’s not perfect.
PROFILES, this is where I see the value as you can do a lot of setup within these and with procedures and scripts.
I have a base profile, then copy and clone/adjust to suit some clients, eg unattended access vs need approval etc.
If using the Security Agent then add that as well with no issues.
PROCEDURES, I have had best results when using powershell script to run on-boarding
These scripts are in MY PROCEDURES, have been copied, pasted, added to and whats really handy is that you can add a lot of simple one or two line powershell commands “inside” the one procedure, AND add existing procedures as well.
For example I have numlock on at startup, power settings no sleep, local admin either hidden or visible, adobe reader installed or chocky installer and so on.
It has been easy to customize and clone/copy several of these to get a working on-boarding one for each client or broadly speaking a SOE.
So back to the PROFILE, add all of the PROCEDURES you need or want.
Turn on the system, run up to login as a local admin user, optional to allow updates etc to run
Now the fun part, install the agent, wait for it to start working and everything starts to get installed, power settings done, whatever your procedures are set to run.
Not all software can be installed however, sometimes it can easier to have your ninite or chocky run manually.
Its not perfect and takes some setup from our side, but once done can re use and modify when ever.
There are a few scripts from the built in ones and the library that that only need to be run once every now and again, so these just get done on demand, per system/group/customer/all.
Anyway that is my advice, and it really depends on how you want to handle the endpoints and clients needs, as I have not seen a real SOE that fits every client so far, and I don’t have a profile for every client as I too was trying to keep it simple to manage, but moving forward I can see more profiles being created per customer as long term it will easier to manage.
The need to document whats getting setup and one however has to been in sync with these as changes are made.
Greg
mcfproservices
Hi, good post. Yes I know there can’t be a single answer and each client has difference needs. This is why I’been trying to focus on few or single type of client (ie: small lawers studios, architects, dentists, etc) so that I can create focused profiles and procedures to follow. Right know despite I have access to ldifferent msp tools like Itarian, it-glue, auvik,etc, I stil have a break-fix mentality. When a problem arises I run the relative script on that machine.
Yep, the break fix in inside most of us as well.
All the best planning and tools are fine, but then the client picks up the phone and calls for xyz and wants it fixed.
I have not seen a automated system that catches everything yet, I’m in Australia and our internet is just one common point of failure, distance is another issue to deal with, 100klm or 1 hr travel each way is normal.
Cheers
Italy is tiny in comparison.