We've had some success operating outside of a strictly Casper way of
handling remote software updates in a wireless laptop environment.
I'm assuming that you're using an internal SUS to control which updates
are being offered to clients. Even still, we've had some bad
experiences with Apple laptops installing AirPort card driver updates
via wireless... it breaks the wireless configuration on the machine.
Apple even recommends against installing wireless updates wirelessly.
So, we set out to determine how to address self-initiated software
updates (and other routine maintenance tasks) and found that iHook in
conjunction with a set of complimentary JSS policies worked really well.
You can read all about how to use iHook and can download it from
http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/ihook so I won't go into a great
level of detail here. Here's how we implemented our fix:
Created the following folders with read-only access for standard
users: /Library/ITsupport, /Library/ITsupport/resource,
/Library/ITsupport/resource/graphics, /Library/ITsupport/resource/hooks,
/Library/ITsupport/resource/sound.
Placed the iHook app in the ITsupport folder, a teacher-friendly
attention getting sound in the sound folder, and a graphic that both
tells the end user that updates are needed and SHOWS them to connect
their laptop to wall power and a wired Ethernet drop before running Self
Service.
Created an iHook script that sets the iHook window to the same size
as the graphic, loads the graphic as the window background, and runs in
"Selfish" mode. This mode steals window focus and makes the menu and
Dock go away until the user clicks the "Cancel" button.
Created a Casper DMG install package of the above directory and its
contents, then pushed it out to all laptop systems.
Created a "nag" policy on the JSS that executes a shell script which
runs iHook with the associated iHook script on the remote client
machine. This means that once a month, the end-user's computer turns up
the volume, chimes, and displays the "Software Updates are needed"
reminder. The nag policy is scoped to laptop systems with one or more
software updates available, and the graphic displayed directs the end
user to launch Self-Service and click "Install" on the "Install software
updates" item.
The "Install software updates" item is a discrete policy scoped to
an "All wired systems" smart group. This ensures that wireless clients
not attached to an Ethernet drop will not see this as an available self
service item.
We made up a flyer and emailed it to end users that explained what
self-service maintenance was and why it was important.
It sounds complicated, but the end result is simple if you're an
end-user: once a month, you get a reminder that software updates are
needed (if in fact, they are), and you're directed on what to do to
install them. If you follow the directions that you're forced to
acknowledge on screen, you see the item in Self Service that triggers
software update.
Evan Wade
TIS Support Technician - 949-234-5500
Capistrano Unified School District
