[Feature request] Include an option in each configuration to not run current policies

[talkingmoose]

At one time I may have a dozen policies set to install some software at
login or some later time.

At the same time I will be imaging new Macs with configurations that are
already updated with the new software. However, when I complete a new
machine and add it to the appropriate groups, it will run all the policies
and install some of the software again.

I'd like to see an option on the configuration pages that controls this
behavior. Something like:

Execute existing policies after imaging: Yes No

If "Yes" then the current behavior still works. If "No" then the computer is
added to the completed list of a policy.

--

bill

William M. Smith, Technical Analyst
Digital Information Systems Support
St. Paul, MN
(651) 632-1492

[ernstcs]

Hi Bill,

Yup...me again. I think that this is not a bad idea.

In the mean time what you can do, and I think my logic is right:

create a new smart group of computers have the group include computers that have Application(s) Title like X have the group include computers that have Application Version is not X where X is the updated version you want installed create your policy and add this new smart computer group into the scope

This should exclude computers that you've just imaged as they won't meet the application requirements to get added to the smart group and only update anything you already have out there with updated inventory/recon information that does meet the criteria.

What I don't know is (wasn't about to test it on a Friday night either) if someone that last reported in with an old version when the smart group was created thus added to it, somehow was updated to the current version in the mean time, and then they update their inventory before the policy was triggered does that machine get removed from the policy all together because it would no longer be in the smart group. Or when policies are created, even though the scope includes smart (dynamic) groups, are the list of computers added to the policy then static at that moment in time it was created or edited? I would say that if possible with not a lot of overhead a policy that does include smart computer groups in the scope should remove those computers from the policy group (or not actual perform the actions and log them as though the policy ran with a different code) if removed from the smart group IF the policy hasn't run on that machine yet.

Hope that helps. Have a great weekend!

Craig Ernst
Systems Management & Configuration
----------------------------------
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Learning & Technology Services
105 Garfield Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Phone: (715) 836-3639
Fax: (715) 836-6001
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ernstcs at uwec.edu

[talkingmoose]

Hi Craig!
On 1/25/08 9:02 PM, "Ernst, Craig S." <ERNSTCS at uwec.edu> wrote:

I'll one up ya on this one. ;-)

I think the idea of creating a new static group is a good one and it would
certainly resolve my problem. So... I would then want a feature where I
could exclude groups from views such as my list in the Casper application so
that I don't have a bunch of static views for one purpose appearing
everywhere else. Maybe something simple like Retrospect's method of
excluding folders for backup would be best. To exclude a group from
appearing outside the JSS just append a bullet to the beginning of the group
name. Or maybe a simple checkbox in the group's window in the JSS that says
something like 'Use only for policies and tasks'.

I dunno. We'll let the brains at JAMF figure the best way of doing (or not
doing) it.

--

bill

William M. Smith, Technical Analyst
Digital Information Systems Support
Merrill Communications, LLC
(651) 632-1492