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07/27/2015

Deploying Software to Linux and UNIX Servers in Configuration Manager

Updated: May 14, 2015

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

Note

The information in this topic applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 or later, and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager or later.

The Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX supports software deployments that use packages and programs. You cannot deploy System Center 2012 Configuration Manager applications to computers that run Linux and UNIX.

The client supports the following functionality for packages and program deployments:

You can install software for Linux and UNIX servers, including the following:
- New software deployment
- Software updates for programs already on the computer
- Operating system patches
You can run native Linux and UNIX commands, and run scripts that are located on Linux and UNIX servers.
You can limit deployment to the operating systems that you specify when you select the program option Only on specified client platforms.
You can use maintenance windows to control when software installs.
You can use deployment status messages to monitor deployments.

Beginning with the client from cumulative update 1, the following additional functionality is supported:

The client can throttle network usage when downloading software from a distribution point.

When you configure and deploy packages and programs for Linux and UNIX servers, use the same methods that you use to configure and deploy packages and programs to your Windows-based computers with the following caveats:

Configuration	Details
Use only configurations that are intended for computers, and do not use configurations that are intended for users.	The Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX does not support configurations that are intended for users.
Configure programs to download the software from the distribution point and run the programs from the local client cache	The Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX does not support running software from the distribution point. Instead, you must configure the software to download to the client and then install. By default, after the client for Linux and UNIX installs software, that software is deleted from the client’s cache. However, packages that are configured with Persist content in the client cache are not deleted from the client and remain in the client’s cache after the software installs. The client for Linux and UNIX does not support configurations for the client cache, and the maximum size of the client cache is limited only by the free disk space on the client computer.
Configure the Network Access Account for distribution point access	Linux and UNIX computers are designed to be workgroup computers. In order to access packages from the distribution point in the Configuration Manager site server domain, you must configure the Network Access Account for the site. You must specify this account as a software distribution component property and configure the account before you deploy software. Beginning with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, you can configure multiple Network Access Accounts at each site. The client for Linux and UNIX can use each of the accounts you configure as a Network Access Account. For more information, see Configuring Site Components in Configuration Manager.

Use only configurations that are intended for computers, and do not use configurations that are intended for users.

The Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX does not support configurations that are intended for users.

Configure programs to download the software from the distribution point and run the programs from the local client cache

The Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX does not support running software from the distribution point. Instead, you must configure the software to download to the client and then install.

By default, after the client for Linux and UNIX installs software, that software is deleted from the client’s cache. However, packages that are configured with Persist content in the client cache are not deleted from the client and remain in the client’s cache after the software installs.

The client for Linux and UNIX does not support configurations for the client cache, and the maximum size of the client cache is limited only by the free disk space on the client computer.

Configure the Network Access Account for distribution point access

Linux and UNIX computers are designed to be workgroup computers. In order to access packages from the distribution point in the Configuration Manager site server domain, you must configure the Network Access Account for the site. You must specify this account as a software distribution component property and configure the account before you deploy software.

Beginning with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, you can configure multiple Network Access Accounts at each site. The client for Linux and UNIX can use each of the accounts you configure as a Network Access Account.

For more information, see Configuring Site Components in Configuration Manager.

You can deploy packages and programs to collections that contain only Linux or UNIX clients, or you can deploy them to collections that contain a mix of client types, such as the All Systems Collection.

Note

When you deploy software to a mixed collection, it is likely that many clients in the collection are unable to run the software successfully because they are the wrong operating system type to understand the program files. As a result, the deployment will report failure.

When the Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX receives and runs a deployment, it generates status messages. You can view these status messages in the Configuration Manager console, or by using reports to monitor the deployment status.

For information about how to use packages and programs, see Packages and Programs in Configuration Manager.

The following sections provide details about software deployment to Linux and UNIX servers.

Configuring Packages, Programs, and Deployments for Linux and UNIX Servers

You can create and deploy packages and programs by using the options that are available by default in the Configuration Manager console. The client does not require any unique configurations.

Use the information in the following sections to configure packages and programs as well as deployments.

Packages and Programs

To create a package and program for a Linux or UNIX server, use the Create Package and Program Wizard from the Configuration Manager console. The client for Linux and UNIX supports most package and program settings. However, several settings are not supported. When you create or configure a package and program, consider the following:

Include the file types that are supported by the destination computers
Define the command lines that are appropriate for use on the destination computer
Settings that interact with users are not supported

The following table lists the properties for packages and programs that are not supported.

Package and program property	Behavior	More information
Package share settings: All options	An error is generated and the software install fails	The client does not support this configuration. Instead, the client must download the software by using HTTP or HTTPS, and then run the command line from its local cache.
Package update settings: Disconnect users from distribution points	Setting is ignored	The client does not support this configuration.
Operating system deployment settings: All options	Settings are ignored	The client does not support this configuration.
Reporting: Use package properties for status MIF matching Use these fields for status MIF matching	Settings are ignored	The client does not support the use of status MIF files.
Run: All options	Settings are ignored	The client always runs packages with no user interface. The client ignores all configuration options for Run.
After running: Configuration Manager restarts computer Program controls restart Configuration Manager logs the user off	An error is generated and the software install fails	The system restart setting and user specific settings are not supported. When any setting other than the No action required setting is in use, the client generates an error and continues the software installation, with no action taken.
Program can run: Only when a user is logged on	An error is generated and the software install fails	User specific settings are not supported. When this option is configured, the client generates an error and fails the installation of the software. Other options are ignored and the software installation continues.
Run mode: Run with user’s rights	Setting is ignored	User specific settings are not supported. However, the client does support the configuration to run with Administrative rights. Important When you specify Run with administrative rights, the Configuration Manager client uses its root credentials. This setting does not generate an error or log entry. Instead, the software installation fails when the client generates an error for the prerequisite configuration of Program can run = Only when a user is logged on.
Allow users to view and interact with the program installation.	Setting is ignored	User specific settings are not supported. This configuration is ignored and the software installation continues.
Drive mode: All options	Settings are ignored	This setting is not supported because content is always downloaded to the client and run locally.
Run another program first	An error is generated and the software install fails	Recursive program installation is not supported. When a program is configured to run another program first, the software installation fails, and the other program installation is not started.
When this program is assigned to a computer: Run once for every user who logs on	Setting is ignored	User specific settings are not supported. However, the client does support the configuration to run once for the computer. This setting does not generate an error or log entry because an error and log entry are already created for the prerequisite configuration of Program can run = Only when a user is logged on.
Suppress program notifications.	Setting is ignored	The client does not implement a user interface. When this configuration is selected, it is ignored and the software installation continues.
Disable this program on computers where it is deployed	Setting is ignored	This setting is not supported and does not affect the installation of software.
Allow this program to be installed from the Install Package task sequence without being deployed.	Setting is ignored	The client does not support task sequences. This setting is not supported and does not affect the installation of software.
Windows Installer: All options	Settings are ignored	The client does not support Windows Installer files or settings.
OpsMgr Maintenance Mode: All options	Settings are ignored	The client does not support this configuration.

For information about how to create a package and program, see How to Create Packages and Programs in Configuration Manager.

Deployments

To deploy software to a Linux or UNIX server by using a package and program, you can use the Deploy Software Wizard from the Configuration Manager console. Most deployment settings are supported by the client for Linux and UNIX, however several settings are not supported. When you deploy software consider the following:

You must provision the package on at least one distribution point that is associated with a boundary group that is configured for content location.
The client for Linux and UNIX that receive this deployment must be able to access this distribution point from its network location.
The client for Linux and UNIX downloads the package from the distribution point and runs the program on the local computer.
The client for Linux and UNIX cannot download packages from shared folders. It downloads packages from IIS enabled distribution points that support HTTP or HTTPS.

The following table lists properties for deployments that are not supported:

Deployment property	Behavior	More information
Deployment settings – purpose: Available Required	Setting is ignored	User specific settings are not supported. However, the client supports the setting Required, which enforces the scheduled installation time, but does not support manual installation prior to that scheduled time.
Send wake-up packets	Setting is ignored	The client does not support this configuration.
Assignment schedule: logon logoff	An error is generated and the software install fails	User specific settings are not supported. However, the client supports the setting As soon as possible.
Notification settings: Allow users to run the program independently of assignments	Setting is ignored	The client does not implement a user interface.
When the scheduled assignment time is reached, allow the following activity to be performed outside the maintenance window: System restart (if required to complete the installation)	An error is generated	The client does not support a system restart.
Deployment option for fast (LAN) networks: Run program from distribution point	An error is generated and the software install fails	The client cannot run software from the distribution point and instead must download the program before it can run.
Deployment option for a slow or unreliable network boundary, or a fallback source location for content: Allow clients to share content with other clients on the same subnet	Setting is ignored	The client does not support sharing content between peers.

For more information about content location, see Planning for Content Management in Configuration Manager.

For more information about how to create a deployment, see How to Deploy Packages and Programs in Configuration Manager.

Manage Network Bandwidth for Software Downloads from Distribution Points

Beginning with the client for Linux and UNIX from cumulative update 1, the client supports network bandwidth controls when downloading software from a distribution point.

The client uses the BITS settings that you configure as client settings in Configuration Manager, but does not implement BITS. Instead, to throttle the use of network bandwidth, the client controls the HTTP request chunk size and inter-chunk delay for the software download.

To configure a client to use network bandwidth controls, you configure client settings for Background Intelligent Transfer and then apply the settings to the client computer. To use bandwidth controls, the client must receive client settings for Background Intelligent Transfer with the following setting configured as Yes:

Limit the maximum network bandwidth for BITS background transfers

The client supports the following configurations for Background Intelligent Transfer:

Throttling window start time
Throttling window end time
Maximum transfer rate during throttling window (Kbps)
Maximum transfer rate during throttling window (Kbps)

The following configuration for Background Intelligent Transfer is not supported, and is ignored by the client for Linux and UNIX:

Allow BITS downloads outside the throttling window

If the download of software to the client from a distribution point is interrupted, the client for Linux and UNIX does not resume the download and instead restarts the download of the entire software package.

Operations for Software Deployments

Similar to the Windows client, the Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX discovers new software deployments when it polls and checks for new policy. The frequency at which the client checks for new policy depends on client settings. You can configure maintenance windows to control when software deployments occur.

You can configure software deployments to Linux and UNIX servers by using package properties, program properties, and deployment properties.

When the client receives policy for a deployment, it submits a status message. It also submits status messages when it starts the installation of software and when the installation finishes, or fails.

Programs for software deployments run with the root credentials that the Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX runs with. The exit code of the programs command is used to determine success or failure. An exit code of 0 (zero) is treated as success. In addition, the stdout (standard output stream) and stderr (standard error stream) are copied to the log file when the log level is set to INFO or TRACE.

Tip

If the software that you want to deploy is located on a Network File System (NFS) share that the Linux or UNIX server can access, you do not need to use a distribution point to download the package. Instead, when you create the package, do not select the check box for This package contains source files. Then, when you configure the program, specify the appropriate command line to directly access the package on the NFS mount point.

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