Deploy or update Remote Desktop Manager through GPO

This guide will walk you through the process of deploying and updating Remote Desktop Manager with Active Directory (AD) using Group Policy Object (GPO). To learn how to manage GPO in the Local Group Policy Editor, click here.

Prerequisites

  • Active Directory (AD) environment with Group Policy Management.
  • Administrative access to the domain controller.
  • Remote Desktop Manager MSI installer file. Ensure you have the latest version if you're updating.

Deploying Remote Desktop Manager

Move the installer to a shared folder

  1. Create a shared folder on a network location accessible to all target computers.
  2. Configure the folder to have read permissions for all users who will be installing Remote Desktop Manager.
  3. Copy the Remote Desktop Manager MSI installer file to the shared folder.

Create a new group policy object

  1. On your Domain Controller, open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).
  2. Right-click on the organizational unit (OU) where you want to deploy Remote Desktop Manager and select Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here....
  3. Give your new GPO a descriptive name, such as Remote Desktop Manager Deployment.

Configure the GPO for software installation

  1. Right-click your newly created GPO and select Edit.
  2. In the Group Policy Management Editor, go to Computer Configuration – Policies – Software Settings – Software installation.
  3. Right-click on Software installation, select New, and then Package.
  4. In the Open dialog box, browse to the shared folder containing the Remote Desktop Manager MSI installer file, select it, and click Open.
  5. Choose the Assigned deployment method and click OK.

The configuration of the GPO is complete. Once the deployment of the GPO in the domain is done, Remote Desktop Manager will be automatically installed after each computer is restarted.

Updating Remote Desktop Manager

Updating an existing installation of Remote Desktop Manager follows a similar process with a few additional considerations:

  1. Verify that all previously deployed versions of Remote Desktop Manager are listed in the GPO.
  2. As with the initial deployment, add the new MSI package to the shared network folder.
  3. Under Software installation, right-click on the previous version of Remote Desktop Manager, and select All Tasks,
  4. Click Upgrade.
  5. Choose the new MSI package and configure it to upgrade the existing installation.
  6. Make sure the Package can upgrade over the existing package option is selected. This will allow for an easy transition from the old version to the new.

If you have previously updated Remote Desktop Manager:

  1. Verify that all prior packages are included in the list.

  2. When adding each package, confirm that the Package can upgrade over the existing package option is selected.

  3. Click OK to close the package’s properties dialog box.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues during the deployment, refer to the following troubleshooting steps:

  • Check that the shared folder and the Remote Desktop Manager MSI installer file have the correct permissions.
  • Verify that the GPO is linked to the correct OU.
  • Check the Event Viewer logs on the client machines for any errors related to the Remote Desktop Manager installation and update.
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