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Installing Altiris Deployment Agent on Ubuntu Linux

Installing Altiris Deployment Agent on Ubuntu Linux
Filed under: Deployment Solution 3rd Party Products, Installation
jjesse's picture
Submitted by jjesse on 14 September, 2007 - 15:41.

The following is a guide to installing the Altiris Deployment Agent (ADLagent) on an Ubuntu workstation.

Because I am used to using KDE as my desktop environment, these instructions are based around Kubuntu's tools, but can be easily adapted for any flavor of Ubuntu.

Note: Altiris does not support any Linux Distributions besides Red Hat and SUSE. Use at your own risk.
  • The ADLagent cannot be pushed but must be installed via a pull method.
    • Open up a new Konqueror window and browse to the eXpress share of the Deployment server.
      • In the address bar type smb://servername/eXpress and hit enter.
      • If you are promoted for a password fill it out using the form of Domain/Username
      • Copy the altiris-adlagent-VERSION.bin file to a folder on the Linux workstation.
      • From the console type sudo ./altiris-adlagent-VERSION.bin
        • The files and folders will be extracted to /opt/altiris/deployment/adlagent
    • Once the file has been copied from the DS and extracted navigate in the terminal to /opt/altiris/deployment/adlagent/bin directory and run the configure script.

      Click to view.

      • From the console type in the command: sudo ./configure to launch the configuration script.
      • Fill out the information that corresponds to your deployment server.

      Click to view.

  • At this point the Altiris agent is configured to connect to the deployment server, we need to make sure it is configured to start upon boot-up as a service.
    • In Ubuntu all of the services are configured via a script located in the init.d folder
    • We need to copy the debian.init script into the init.d folder and then start the service
      • Open up a terminal session on the Ubuntu workstation
      • Navigate to the /opt/altiris/deployment/adlagent/bin folder
        • From the terminal type cd /opt/altiris/deploymentadlagent/bin
      • From the console type sudo cp debian.init /etc/init.d/adlagent
        • When prompted enter in your administrative password
      • To start the adlagent type in the terminal sudo /etc/init.d/adlagent start.
        • If prompted enter in the administrative password
  • We will then need to make sure the ADLAgent starts each time the computer starts up.
    • In Kubuntu open up the System Settings application from the K Menu
      • Click on the K Menu located at the bottom left of your computer
      • Click on System Settings to launch the application

        Click to view.

    • Click on the Advanced tab at the top to find the System Services icon under "System Administration"

      Click to view.

    • At the bottom right click on the button labeled "Administrator Mode" and enter in your administrative password
    • Find the Altiris Agent, labeled adlagent, in the list and check to see if it is running or not
      • If the agent is not running you can start it by right clicking on the name and select start
      • If the agent is not configured to start at boot, right click on the agent and select "Toggle Start at Boot"
    • Your System Services should look like the following:

      Click to view.

      • If everything worked correctly the workstation will be listed in the deployment console.
      • If you are using Ubuntu with GNOME as the desktop environment the only changes that need to be made is how to check to see if the services are configured correctly through the correct application.
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Thanxss

erikw's picture
Submitted by erikw on 16 September, 2007 - 23:15.

I was looking for a way to get this managed, and you showed me this.
Thanxss for the good information.

Regards
Erik
www.svs4u.nl

Thanks for the feedback

jjesse's picture
Submitted by jjesse on 17 September, 2007 - 08:06.

Thanks for the feedback... working on getting the NS Agent to work now and will document how that works.

Jonathan

Thanks a million for this,

Submitted by meme on 18 September, 2007 - 19:54.

Thanks a million for this, I have been wanting help on this for weeks.

Your welcome

jjesse's picture
Submitted by jjesse on 19 September, 2007 - 08:44.

I'm glad it helpded out.... now if we can just get Altiris to support Ubuntu

How many Ubuntu machines are you managing?

jjesse's picture
Submitted by jjesse on 19 September, 2007 - 08:46.

If you are using this information in your enterprise/business, how many Ubuntu machines are you running and also are they desktops or servers?

I thought I would test it out on my Feisty Fawn laptop.

Submitted by ghalliday on 3 October, 2007 - 12:13.

I thought I would test it out on my Feisty Fawn laptop. I got the NS Agent working too.

Awesome to hear

jjesse's picture
Submitted by jjesse on 3 October, 2007 - 18:03.

THat you have the DS and NS Agent running on Feisty. I hope to write up NS soon

Deployment Console

Submitted by dark_harmonics on 11 October, 2007 - 07:24.

Does anybody know how to install the deployment console onto an ubuntu machine? I currently use it in a virtual xp but i would rather use it natively of course.

Getting the agent to run at startup

Submitted by rossnz on 6 January, 2008 - 16:38.

You don't need to do the last steps, if you run the installer again it will create startup entries in /etc/init.d for you.