Simple Application Install and Update Methodology

[denmoff]

I'm new to JAMF and still trying to get accustomed the process and workflow of making simple install policies. I'd just like to write down my current process with installing and updating simple software, like Firefox or VLC via Self Service. Please correct anything that seems redundant or just plane bad practice. This is for JSSv9.2

And I realize that there are more than one way to skin a cat(what a horrible idiom), but this is meant to be a simple starting point.

Create Install Policy for VLC 2.1.1:
1. Download DMG, extract vlc.pkg, rename to vlc-2.1.1.pkg and place it into Casper Admin

1. Create smart group called "VLC installed and up to date" based on criteria Application is vlc.app AND Version is 2.1.1

2. Create Policy called "VLC 2.1.1" and set execution policy to "Once per computer"
   a. Add vlc-2.1.1.pkg and set action to "Install"
   b. Set Scope to "All Computers", Exclude Smart Group "VLC installed and up to date"
   c. Enable Self Service, add VLC icon, add to appropriate Categories.

When the time comes to update VLC to version 2.x:
1. Download VLC 2.x, extract pkg from dmg, rename vlc-2.x.pkg and upload to Casper Admin

1. Go to Policy tab on JSS, disable previous VLC 2.1.1 policy and save.

2. Clone previous VLC 2.1.1 policy and rename to VLC 2.x, and enable.

3. Click on Packages, remove the previous vlc-2.1.1.pkg and add vlc-2.x.pkg.

4. Save Policy

5. Go to the Smart Groups section, select "VLC installed and up to date", change criteria to match the new version.

Notes:
I'm trying to name all my Smart Groups in a similar way so that i can find them more easily. For example, i start with the name of the app, instead of something like "Macs with VLC installed". This probably seems obvious, but as i started creating Smart Groups, i found i had a different style of naming as i went along that was confusing to follow.

I played around with using the same policy over and over again and setting the action to "On Going" and just changing the policy and smart group setting. Had to add an Update Inventory setting to get machines to be added to the smart group. This caused the policies to install slowly while waiting for the inventory to finish. It just didn't seem like the right way to go.

[timsutton]

Wouldn't it be preferable to make the policy something like "version is less than 2.1.1", rather than simply not version 2.1.1?

In some environments there are bound to be clients who can update applications themselves (as admins, for example), and will therefore be versions ahead of what the Casper admin(s) have been able to keep up with.