Defaults write set software update interval

[jarednichols]

Hi-

What's the best way to set the software update interval (daily/monthly/weekly) with defaults write? Basically, I want to ensure machines are checking in weekly with our internal update server.

Thanks

j
--
Jared Nichols
ISD Infrastructure and Operations - Desktop Engineering
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
244 Wood St.
Lexington, MA 02420-9108
(781) 981-5500

[milesleacy]

Jared,
It's a byhost preference called com.apple.scheduler. I'd have to sit with
it for a bit to get the exact sequence of commands, and PlistBuddy would be
easier than defaults.

What would be even easier would be to turn off the schedule on the client,
enter your Software Update Server's info into your JSS, and run Software
Update via Casper policy. Software Update is a checkbox in the Packages
tab, and you can have your policy run every day, week or month.

----------
Miles A. Leacy IV

? Certified System Administrator 10.4
? Certified Technical Coordinator 10.5
? Certified Trainer
Certified Casper Administrator
----------
voice: 1-347-277-7321
miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
www.themacadmin.com

[jarednichols]

That's exactly my goal :) I asked about setting the interval on the plist because I want to disable it on the clients and run it strictly from a policy.

Now that I know it's in the scheduler plist that sets me on the right track.

Thanks!

j

[milesleacy]

To turn the automatic checking off, use this command...
softwareupdate --schedule off

That's a lot easier than messing with plists.

You can put that into a policy for existing computers, and/or make it a part
of your configuration for new deployments. If you do, make sure you set it
to be an "at reboot" script.

Then you can simply use the checkbox in the "Packages" tab of your policy to
call software update.

I consider this a best practice and these are among the first
policies/scripts I create when installing a JSS.

----------
Miles A. Leacy IV

? Certified System Administrator 10.4
? Certified Technical Coordinator 10.5
? Certified Trainer
Certified Casper Administrator
----------
voice: 1-347-277-7321
miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
www.themacadmin.com

[#5]

Thanks for the command to turn off software update checking, I couldn't get it to stop reliably before. It there a way to set this script to FEU and FUT? A system wide "softwareupdate --schedule off" Otherwise it appears that new users have software update checking on.
Thanks,

Nathaniel Lindley

++++++++++
Educational Technology
Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul, Minnesota
nathaniel.lindley at spps.org
phone: 651-248-6861

[John_Wetter]

I seldom use that anymore because it only applies it to the root user. I have it set as a command to run once for each user, but it seems to be running it as root, so it isn't applying it to the user logging in. This looks to be the same issue as we ran in to trying to change the Office plists.

So, for now I guess moving plists is still what we'll have to do... Unless there is a way to get these to apply to each individual user?

-John

[ernstcs]

I have a user environment package that disables software updates which is applied to the user template.

Set your desired Software Update settings using the same account you create your software packages from Run Composer, go to the User Environment tab, check Software Update Settings, and click Save to... * Add to your JSS with Casper Admin and make sure Fill User Templates is checked.

Every new user profile created on a machine with that package will no longer have updates on. You can even push the package out to existing users if you really wanted to.

Craig E

[milesleacy]

Right.
Thanks for picking up on that. I'm doing a little too much multitasking
right now... :)

----------
Miles A. Leacy IV

? Certified System Administrator 10.4
? Certified Technical Coordinator 10.5
? Certified Trainer
Certified Casper Administrator
----------
voice: 1-347-277-7321
miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
www.themacadmin.com

[Bukira]

Hi

Do you guys not use Xserves and workgroup manager ? As I do all this in workgroup manager

[milesleacy]

I've used that method in some environments. Speaking of MCX, you could set
it in the local directory service, using MCX, via a dscl script. If you
apply your MCX setting to staff (20), that should get all of your intended
users.

----------
Miles A. Leacy IV

? Certified System Administrator 10.4
? Certified Technical Coordinator 10.5
? Certified Trainer
Certified Casper Administrator
----------
voice: 1-347-277-7321
miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
www.themacadmin.com

[John_Wetter]

We only use it in a small subset of our environment. Overall, our experience with Managed Preferences has not been a good one as there are just too many issues with it (authentication, time-outs, mobile home directory sync errors, off-site timeout issues, system performance issues). With the number of computers we're supporting with our staffing, we need something that works more reliably than the MCX's from OpenDirectory. We've used it for about 4 years and I'm not thrilled to do anything with it in the future. In my experience, Casper has been reliable, and Managed Preferences have not. It's a matter of for mass numbers of student laptops with similar environments, Apple has forced our hand to almost require managed preferences, even with the laundry list of issues.

</soapbox rant>

-John