This guide lists the steps to deploy ESET Management Agent using SCCM (ConfigMgr). We will download the latest version of ESET agent, package and deploy it to clients using SCCM.
ESET PROTECT suite allows you to manage ESET products on workstations, servers and mobile devices in a networked environment from one central location.
ESET PROTECT is made up of the following components and one of the important component is the ESET management agent.
- ESET PROTECT Server
- ESET PROTECT Web Console
- Rogue Detection Sensor
- ESET Management Agent
- Apache HTTP Proxy
- Mobile Device Connector
- ESET PROTECT Virtual Appliance
- ESET Remote Deployment Tool
- ESET Business Account
- Mirror Tool
- ESET Enterprise Inspector
There are multiple methods that you can use to deploy ESET Agent on the client computers in your network.
What is ESET Management Agent?
The ESET Management Agent is a software used to communicate between the ESET Protect Server and client computers. When the agent is installed on a computer, it communicates with ESET Protect Server.
Like most of the security software programs, the ESET agent must be installed on clients to communicate with ESET protect server.
Read: How to deploy Sophos Endpoint Protection Agent using SCCM
ESET Management Agent deployment methods
When you want to deploy ESET management agent, there are two deployments methods that can you choose from:
- Local deployment – Use this deployment method to install ESET Management Agent and ESET security product locally on a client computer.
- Remote deployment – Use this method to deploy ESET Management Agent on large number of client computers.
Note: ESET recommends that you only use local deployment if you have a small network (up to 50 computers). For larger networks, you can deploy ESET Management Agent using SCCM (ConfigMgr) or GPO method.
In this article, we are going to use the remote deployment to deploy ESET Management agent using SCCM.
Download ESET Management Agent for Windows
The ESET PROTECT Standalone Installers are available on the ESET download page. You can download the latest ESET management agent for windows.
The agents are also available for Linux, macOS, Windows 10 on ARM, Windows Server and 32-bit Windows operating systems.
If you are running a mix of 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems, download installers for both versions. In this example, we will only download 64-bit ESET Management Agent as Windows 64-bit is widely used in Enterprise.
Download the ESET management agent and save the installer to a shared folder on SCCM server. Client computers will require read/execute access to this shared folder.
We will use the same shared folder path while creating the application in SCCM. The ESET agent is an .msi installer, so it will be easy to deploy via SCCM.
You can also download an icon for ESET management agent and save it along with the installer. We will use this icon and set it to appear in the Software Center for users.
Read: How to Set up Software Center Notification Logo in SCCM
Create ESET Management Agent Application in SCCM
Before we deploy ESET management agent using SCCM, the application must be created. We will create an application for ESET agent in SCCM.
Launch the SCCM console and go to Software Library\Overview\Application Management\Applications. Right-click Applications and select Create Application.
The “Create Application Wizard” in SCCM helps you to create a new application. On the General window, select Automatically detect information about this application from installation files.
Specify the location of the ESET management agent installer. Click Next.
The wizard reads the product code information from ESET agent msi installer. The information is presented on Import Information window. Click Next.
On the General Information page, specify the basic information about ESET management agent. You can specify the publisher info, software version, administrative categories etc.
The installation program (Install command) is automatically populated from the ESET agent installer. The installer behavior is set to install for system. Click Next to continue.
On the Summary window, review the ESET management agent application settings and click Next.
Close the Create Application Wizard. This completes the steps to create ESET agent application in SCCM.
This is an optional step where you can specify an icon for ESET Management agent. The icon that you specify here will appear in the Software Center for users.
Read: How to Customize ConfigMgr Software Center
To specify an icon for the application, right-click the ESET agent application and click Properties. Select the Software Center tab and click Browse and specify the icon. Click Apply and OK.
Deploy ESET Management Agent using SCCM
Use the below steps to deploy the ESET agent using Configuration Manager.
- Launch the SCCM console.
- Go to Software Library\Overview\Application Management\Applications.
- Right-click ESET Management Agent application and select Deploy.
When you deploy an application in SCCM, you either deploy it to a user collection or a device collection. On the General page of Deploy Software Wizard, click Browse and select a device collection.
Learn: How to Create Windows 11 Device Collection in SCCM
On the Content page, you specify the distribution points or distribution point groups. The selected DP’s will get the content. Click Add and select your distribution points. Click Next.
When you deploy ESET management agent using SCCM, the deployment options matter a lot. There are two deployment options to choose from – Available and Required.
Refer to the following guide to know the difference between Available and Required deployment in SCCM.
In the below example, the deployment options are configured as follows. Action = Install and Purpose = Available.
Click Next to continue.
On the Scheduling window, you can specify the schedule to ESET agent deployment. We are not going to configure scheduling options, click Next.
You can specify the user experience for ESET agent installation. Click Next.
Unless you have operations manager running your setup along with ConfigMgr, you don’t have to configure the Alerts. Click Next.
On the Summary page, review the ESET agent deployment settings and on Completion window, click Close.
This completes the steps to deploy ESET management agent. Now on the client computer, launch the Software Center.
Learn: How to launch SCCM Software Center
Once the Software Center is launched, click Applications and from the list of applications, select ESET Management Agent and click Install.
The ESET agent installer is now downloaded from the distribution point server and installed.
Troubleshooting ESET Management Agent Installation with Logs
When you encounter issues with ESET management agent installation, you can review the AppEnforce.log file on the client computer.
This log file should contain the error codes or reason why the ESET agent failed to install. The ESET logs on Windows computer are located in C:\ProgramData\ESET\RemoteAdministrator\Agent\EraAgentApplicationData\Logs.
hi Prajwal can i ask you, how can a Update existing eset agent on highest version via sccm ?
Great article, but it would be great to additionally point out that you can automate the deployment od ESET Agent further by adding a install_config.ini file which has all the certificates, IP adress od ESET Server, Host name and port number. The config file has to be in the same folder with the MSI installer and the name of the config file has to be “install_config.ini”. And even beter, you can make a task sequence for all ESET products. First you add the Agent installer (.MSI with config file), and all your Endpoint ESET products.
Best regards,
Igor
You are right. The Config.ini file can be placed with actual installers and specify additional things.