Deploying and managing Adobe apps using scripts

[mnordbye]

Hey folks,

I have a questions about deploying and managing versions of Adobe apps using just the clean Creative Cloud app.

We're currently undergoing a merging of companies, where we also get merged into a shared JAMF instance, where we will have little to no control over packages, scripts etc. So our old method of creating and download custom Adobe packages from Adobes admin panel will be out of the question for now (this is also a tiresome method anyway). The clean Adobe Creative Cloud app is what we are left with.

So, I've heard that we might be able to install and version manage Adobe apps using scripts and commands, but I can't find much information on this online (Adobes support documents are rather lackluster).

Does any of you JAMF gurus here have any experience with deploying Adobe apps this way? I tried to search the forum, but didn't find what I was looking for.

It's worth mentioning that we are a post-production company, so always updating to the newest version is a big no here. We usually stick to one version for each release (eg. 2022.3, 2023.3 etc.).

Any help appreciated!

Magnus

[mvu]

Take a look at Adobe RUM: https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/using/using-remote-update-manager.html

Adobe Caching server: https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/using/update-server-setup-tool.html

If you need to manage updates so users can't update the version, then I would deploy a "managed" Adobe Creative Cloud package.

[consoleag]

So far, RUM is the best option. To deploy updates, you'd need to build a managed package through the Adobe console and trigger RUM with a script. However, this only works for minor releases and won't upgrade Adobe from version 22 to version 23.

this is the script I use to trigger RUM 

#!/bin/bash

#kills all adobe processes

pkill -f Adobe

pkill -f adobe

# Run the RemoteUpdateManager command with the install action

/usr/local/bin/RemoteUpdateManager --action=install

[bfrench]

Starting to look at options for deploying Adobe.  I'm going to test out using the Creative Cloud license and the apps from Jamf App Installers.  

I noticed that the packages created in the Adobe console expire after a time.  Does this expiration only effect when they can be downloaded.  Or would that effect the ability to deploy it from a Profile?

[marksf]

That expiration is only about the ability to download it from the Adobe Console. The pkgs will continue to work.

[mvu]

The gotcha I found with managing Adobe Apps with Jamf App Installers is that we let our users update their apps. If you use Jamf App Installers, it changes their privileges in Adobe Creative Cloud.

If you manage your Adobe Apps, Jamf App Installers is a nice way to go.

[marksf]

Expanding on obi-k's comment:
We do the same. Here's a high level view of our workflow:

1. Create and download packages on the Adobe Console. Be sure to enable RUM in these.
   We package each app individually rather than bundle multiples since the assets are so large. 
2. Open the Adobe provided packages, extract just the installers, zip each and upload it as a package to Jamf.
3. Add Jamf Software Patch Management Titles for each Adobe app - just to track the latest versions in Jamf.
4. Create policies in Jamf to install these. Include a script* in the policies to use RUM to update the app after the install. (This way you don't need to keep replacing these pkgs as Adobe releases updates)
5. Create policies that use RUM to update each app and make them available in Self Service.
6. Create Smart Groups that will scope the installers and updaters to Self Service based on whether the app is installed and or needs updates.

* I wrote a single script that takes attributes for the app, version and actions. I then reference it in the policies. Also I've added an Extension Attribute that checks the version of RUM so I can update that too if needed. 

[mnordbye]

Thanks for all the replies! It seems there isn't a quick-and-easy way to have as much control as we require, using just the clean Creative Cloud. Alas!

@mvu Thanks for the links! Guess I have to dig deeper into this. Not having admin-level control of our JAMF environment will be challenging! :)

@marksf Thank you for your suggestion. We won't be able to upload packages for the applications themselves, but it would be interesting to check out the basis of your script as an alternative, if that would be possible?

[marksf]

@mnordbye : Sure! This script will work if you've enabled Adobe Remote Update Manager in the admin console when you build the packages. 

The Script

adobeRumUniversal.sh

#!/bin/bash
#
# Runs Adobe RUM to manage Adobe Application updates
# Parameters available in Policies
# $4 = --action Options: list, download, install
# $5 = --productVersions see:
#      <https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/package/help/apps-deployed-without-their-base-versions.html>

if [[ -f /usr/local/bin/RemoteUpdateManager ]]; then
  echo "Starting Adobe RemoteUpdateManger..."
  /usr/local/bin/RemoteUpdateManager --action=$4 --productVersions=$5
else
  echo "Adobe RemoteUpdateManager not found."
fi

This script has two parameters:$4 = -action

Options: list, download, install

Specifies the action to be performed: list, download, or install.

• -action=list: Displays a list of applicable updates for the products installed on the machine.
• -action=download: Downloads the applicable updates.
• -action=install: Installs updates if they are downloaded already. If the updates are not already downloaded, this command first downloads the updates and then installs them.
• If --action is not specified, the command performs the default action and just downloads and installs the applicable updates.Note: The --action command line option currently does not support the download of updates for Acrobat and Reader.

$5 = -productVersions

SAP Codes

Adobe's full list of base versions and SAP codes.

[marksf]

I should note that this script is specifically for use with Jamf policies. 
We can use this one script to install and / or update the base version of most Adobe apps. 

Options

• Packages: Installs Adobe Photoshop base version of 22.0 (or later)
• Scripts: adobeRumUniversal.sh
  • Parameter --action = install (checks for, downloads & installs available updates)
  • Parameter --productVersions = PSHP#22.0 (limits “action” to base version 22.0, i.e. CC 2021)
• Maintenance: Update Inventory (when done)

Scope

• Targets (Smart Groups)
  • Create a group with criteria - App title = Adobe Photoshop 2021
• Exclusions (Smart Groups)
  • Apps - Adobe Photoshop 2021 - Latest (If the app is up-to-date, don’t display in Self Service)

[mnordbye]

This seems like a very clean way to deal with Adobe in JAMF @marksf . Thanks for sharing!

To understand you correctly, you still need a base package WITH Photoshop included for this to work, right? Not just a Managed package with RUM?

Thanks for all the great help so far, this forum is a lifesaver!

[mnordbye]

Just read on the link you provided that you DON'T have to have the base version installed. Great news.

I'll try to do some tests with your suggestion. Thanks so far!

[marksf]

That’s correct. RUM will update the base versions of an Adobe app, but not
upgrade it. For example you can install any version of Photoshop 2023 and
use the script to apply bug fixes. But it won’t upgrade the app from 2022
to 2023.
Also, note that if no app is specified, the script will apply the specified
actions to all installed Adobe apps. That could be a problem if you only
want to update a specific application, but it can also be exploited - with
the “list” action you would get a list of all available updates on the
target computer. (Think extension attributes)

--
Mark Frischman
John McNeil Studio | IT
markfrischman@johnmcneilstudio.com
Mobile: 215-910-0998

[bfrench]

Posted this on another thread but perhaps this is a better place for this question.  If I deploy Acrobat with Jamf Apps and it also installs the CC app, do I still need to deploy via a Profile the "blank" CC only pkg downloaded from Adobe? Is that just to manage some of the settings?