Package Deployment

You can use a policy in Jamf Pro to deploy a package. Policies allow you to remotely install packages on managed computers. You can automate package installation so that it runs at a specified frequency.

When you configure a policy, you can do the following for each package you add to the policy:

  • Fill user templates

  • Fill existing user home directories

You can choose the following actions you want computers to take when running the policy:

Action

Description

Install

This option enables computers to install the package when they run the policy. To install a package on computers, the package must exist on the distribution point you plan to deploy it from and in Jamf Pro.

Cache

This option enables computers to download a cached package without installing it right away. To cache a package on computers, the package must exist on the distribution point you plan to deploy it from and in Jamf Pro.

Install Cached

This option enables computers to install one or more of the cached packages. To install a specific cached package, the package must exist on the distribution point you plan to deploy it from and in Jamf Pro.

Uninstall

This option enables computers to uninstall a package.

To uninstall the package from computers, you need the following:

  • The package indexed in Jamf Admin

  • The package configured so that it can be uninstalled

Note: If the package is an Adobe CS3/CS4 installation, it does not need to be indexed or configured so that it can be uninstalled.

Packages must be in one of the following formats to deploy them to computers:

  • DMG

  • PKG

  • MPKG
    The MPKG format may not always work natively with policies. This is because permissions that are embedded in the files within the MPKG may conflict with the privileges used by the distribution point read/write user. It is recommended that you deploy the MPKG file to a test computer first. If the deployment does not install successfully, use Composer to make a DMG package for distribution with a policy. Composer will not convert the MPKG to DMG format, but you can use the Snapshot or the Pre-installed method to create a DMG package. Composer can be used to convert DMG and PKG packages. For more information, see the Composer User Guide.

Deploying a Package Using a Policy

To deploy a package using a policy, you must add the package to a distribution point and Jamf Pro.

  1. Log in to Jamf Pro.

  2. Click Computers at the top of the page.

  3. Click Policies.

  4. Click New images/download/thumbnails/85393799/Icon_New_Button.png .

  5. Use the General payload to configure basic settings for the policy, including the trigger and execution frequency.

  6. Select the Packages payload and click Configure.

  7. Click Add for the package you want to install.

  8. Depending on the action you want computers to take, choose an action from the Action pop-up menu.

  9. Configure the settings for the package.

  10. If you are installing a package on computers or caching a package, specify a distribution point for computers to download the package from.

  11. Use the Restart Options payload to configure settings for restarting computers.

  12. Click the Scope tab and configure the scope of the policy.

  13. (Optional) Click the Self Service tab and make the policy available in Self Service.

  14. (Optional) Click the User Interaction tab and configure messaging and deferral options.

  15. Click Save.

The policy runs on computers in the scope the next time they check in with Jamf Pro and meet the criteria in the General payload.

Related Information

For related information, see the following sections in this guide:

Copyright     Privacy Policy     Terms of Use     Security
© copyright 2002-2021 Jamf. All rights reserved.