How to Perform a Mass Rollout

A mass rollout refers to the automated deployment of Adiscon products like WinSyslog or EventReporter or MonitorWare Agent to a significant number of machines (typically more than 5-10). This guide outlines the recommended procedure for achieving an efficient and consistent deployment.

The fundamental principle behind a mass rollout is to establish a standardized configuration on a single “master” system, then replicate this configuration and the product installation files across all target machines. This greatly reduces manual effort and ensures uniformity.

Note

Before embarking on a mass rollout, it is highly recommended to familiarize yourself with the command-line switches available for the product you are deploying. These switches are crucial for unattended installation and configuration. Refer to the respective product’s service manual (e.g., “The WinSyslog Service” or “The EventReporter Service”) for detailed information.

1. Create a Master (Baseline) System

The first step is to set up a single machine with the desired product and configuration. This system will serve as your blueprint for all subsequent deployments.

  1. Perform a complete installation of WinSyslog or EventReporter or MonitorWare Agent on a designated master machine.

  2. Configure the product exactly as you intend it to be on all target machines. This includes all rulesets, actions, destinations, and general settings. Ensure that the configuration is thoroughly tested and verified.

2. Export the Master Configuration

Adiscon products store their complete configuration within the Windows Registry. You can export this configuration to a registry file (.reg), which can then be imported onto other machines.

  1. Launch the product’s client application (e.g., WinSyslog Client, EventReporter Client) on your master system.

  2. Navigate to the “Computer” menu (or similar, depending on the product version).

  3. Select the option “Export Settings to Registry File…”.

  4. A dialog will appear, prompting you to specify a filename for the exported settings. Choose a meaningful name (e.g., WinSyslog_Config_Standard.reg).

  5. Save the registry file. This file now contains an exact snapshot of your master system’s configuration.

Warning

Ensure you select a non-binary format for exporting the registry settings, if prompted. Binary formats are for special purposes and cannot be easily reviewed or manipulated.

3. Prepare the Deployment Package

You will need to assemble a package containing the necessary executable files and the exported configuration.

#.**Identify the core product executables and helper DLLs.** These

are typically found in the installation directory of your master system. For WinSyslog, this would include winsyslg.exe and its associated DLLs. For EventReporter, it would be mwagent.exe and its dependencies.

  1. Copy these files along with the exported registry file (e.g., WinSyslog_Config_Standard.reg) to a central network share or a distribution medium (e.g., a shared folder, USB drive, or an ISO image).

4. Automate the Rollout

The actual rollout involves copying the prepared files to the target machines, installing the product as a service, and importing the configuration. This is typically achieved using a batch script or a deployment tool.

Here’s an example of a simple batch file that can be used for unattended installation and configuration (adjust paths and filenames as necessary):

REM --- Copy product files to a local directory on the target machine ---
xcopy "\\servershare\company_rollout\*" "C:\Program Files\company\WinSyslog\" /E /I /Y*

REM --- Navigate to the installation directory ---
cd "C:\Program Files\company\WinSyslog\"

REM --- Install the product as a service (e.g., WinSyslog) ---
winsyslg -i

REM --- Import the pre-configured settings from the registry file ---
regedit.exe /s "\\servershare\company_rollout\WinSyslog_Config_Standard.reg"

REM --- Start the product service ---
net start "AdisconWinSyslog"

Note

The -i switch for winsyslg.exe or mwagent.exe (for EventReporter) registers the product as a Windows service but does not copy files. It assumes the files are already at their final desired location. Therefore, ensuring the files are copied correctly before executing this command is crucial.

Explanation of the batch file commands:

  • xcopy "\\servershare\company_rollout\*" "C:\Program Files\company\WinSyslog\" /E /I /Y: This command copies all files and subdirectories from your network share (\\servershare\company_rollout\) to the target installation directory (C:\Program Files\company\WinSyslog\).

    • /E: Copies directories and subdirectories, including empty ones.

    • /I: Assumes destination is a directory if not specified.

    • /Y: Suppresses prompting to confirm overwriting existing destination files.

  • cd "C:\Program Files\company\WinSyslog\": Changes the current directory to the product’s installation path.

  • winsyslg -i (or mwagent -i for EventReporter): This command registers the application as a Windows service.

  • regedit.exe /s "\\servershare\company_rollout\WinSyslog_Config_Standard.reg": This command silently imports the exported registry file, applying your pre-defined configuration. The /s switch ensures silent operation.

  • net start "AdisconWinSyslog" (or the appropriate service name for EventReporter): This command starts the newly installed and configured service.

Important

It is vital to stop the service before overwriting its files during an update. However, it is generally not necessary to uninstall the application for an upgrade, provided the local install directory

5. Deployment Considerations

  • Permissions: Ensure that the user account performing the rollout has administrative privileges on the target machines for both installation and registry modification.

  • Centralized Deployment Tools: For large-scale rollouts, consider using enterprise-grade deployment tools such as Microsoft Group Policy (GPO), Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM, formerly SCCM), Ansible, or similar solutions. These tools can orchestrate the file copy, command execution, and verification steps more robustly.

  • Updates: When updating an existing engine-only install, you would typically upgrade your master installation, then distribute the new executable files and configuration using the same methods outlined above. It is not usually necessary to uninstall the previous version.

  • Branch Office Rollout: If the goal is not fully automated deployment but to provide a standardized installation for local administrators in branch offices, you can distribute a pre-configured package (containing the executables and the .reg file) to them. They can then manually perform the file copy and run the installation/configuration commands, ensuring consistency with minimal effort.

This structured approach, leveraging the robust capabilities of our products and standard Windows administration tools, enables highly efficient and consistent mass deployments across your enterprise.