Monday, May 23, 2011

AutoCAD Deployment with Configuration Manager, Scripts, Fires and a Drink

As a follow-on to my previous posts on the subject of (pardon the unintended redundant redundancies) deploying AutoCAD deployments via Microsoft Configuration Manager (aka: "Config Manager", aka: "ConfigMgr", aka: "SCCM", but they really don't like that one) and you wrap the installation process in a script, listen up:

Put the script in an entirely separate UNC location from the rest of the deployment folder stuff. The script should reference the deployment paths using full UNC values. Point the ConfigMgr package data source at the script folder, and set the Package program to call the script. Pretty basic.

This is because:

A. Autodesk deployments use hard-coded source path references. So regardless of replication, any execution will always refer back to the hard-coded UNC location. You can modify this manually, per each copy, but it can be a major pain in the ass.

B. Putting the script with the deployment results in the entire mess being replicated to your ConfigMgr distribution points. This eats up network bandwidth and disk space for nothing of value whatsoever.

C. The advertisement can run the setup script from the DP or download to cache, either way won't affect client caches as much as a full deployment cache hit (which would also be of no value)

That is all. Enjoy you day!

8 comments:

Kevin said...

Could you elaborate on what script you are talking about? I'm trying to use SCCM to install AutoCAD 2011 to computers in many locations and it isn't working...

skatterbrainz said...

I've posted it on this blog somewhere. Just do a search and it should pop up

Kevin said...

I did a search but didn't find it.

Right now, I have SCCM using "AdminImage\setup.exe /W /QB /I AdminImage\.ini /Lang en-US" If I move the application files to a share, what should I use instead to point it to the remote share?

skatterbrainz said...

Here's a few links:
http://skatterbrainz.blogspot.com/2011/08/uninstall-autocad-2011-via.html
http://skatterbrainz.blogspot.com/2011/04/autocad-2012-deployment-net-4-and-sccm.html
http://skatterbrainz.blogspot.com/2011/03/autocad-2012-network-deployments-and.html
http://skatterbrainz.blogspot.com/2010/12/another-packaging-tip-for-autocad-2011.html
http://skatterbrainz.blogspot.com/2010/09/ms-system-center-config-manager-2007.html

Aside from those, you are going about it correctly. Remember the issue of having the DirectX and .NET components installed ahead of the main deployment. Also, if you allow SCCM to replicate the package to multiple distribution points, it will be a waste of time and disk space, since the .INI will always refer back to a hard-coded UNC path, which you cannot modify on the DP shares. You can use shares instead and handle the UNC pathing in the .INI files manually (or write scripts to automate the editing). I hope that helps?

Kevin said...

So my distibution point would just contain a batch file that has "Path to AutoCAD DVD\AdminImage\setup.exe /W /QB /I Path to AutoCAD DVD\AdminImage\Name_of_ini.ini /Lang en-US"?

Do I need to worry about .Net with AutoCAD 2011?

What is the easiest, cheapest way to work around the stupid DirectX 9.0C issue?

skatterbrainz said...

Correct on .NET. I was thinking of 2012. As for the DP contents: I usually build a deployment on a regular UNC share, then create the script in a separate place that refers back to the UNC share (using the command syntax you posted), then let the DP's replicate the script. All clients will execute the script, which will refer back to the UNC path. Repackage DirectX 9.0c using Wise or InstallShield or do it ahead of time with a script (use Sysinternals PsExec), then deploy the SCCM package.

Kevin said...

Do you happen to know off the top of your head how to keep it from rebooting automatically at the end of the install? It is making SCCM think the install failed.

skatterbrainz said...

That's ok. Let it reboot. Change the sccm advertisement setting to suit. It'll work fine an report back correctly