Liquit Automation and Deployment

Liquit integrates a number of advanced automation and management features to ensure that the workspace is always up to date with the latest applications. Within Liquit Automation, Deployments are used to sequence a set of application installations during the imaging process of both virtual and physical devices.

This blog describes how to create, configure and use a typical deployment which includes a few packages of default applications like Adobe Reader DC, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams and VLC media player. Other examples of applications which you can include are covered here.

These are the steps to create a deployment called ‘Default Applications’:

  • Click ‘Manage’
  • In the Automation section click ‘Deployments’
  • Click ‘Add’
  • In the ‘Add Deployment’ screen use ‘Default Applications’ for the deployment name, click ‘Next’ and then ‘Finish’.
    Leave the checkbox ‘Modify deployment after creation’ checked.
  • Click ‘Assignments’
  • Search for and assign the device collection and/or devices you want this deployment to. In my example I’ve assigned this deployment to a Device Collection Group called ‘Windows 10 Test VM’s’. That group contains all my test Virtual Machines on which I’ve installed a Liquit agent and registered into my Liquit zone.
  • Click ‘Packages’
  • Search for the packages you’ve created earlier and select them. They will be added to the packages list.
  • Review the order and change the order when applicable just by using ‘drag and drop’. In the example below ‘Adobe Reader’ needs to be installed first, before you can apply the latest patch e.g. as described here.

After you’ve configured the deployment, you need to configure an Agent Configuration file for the Liquit Agent. In this agent.xml the deployment ‘Default Applications’ is used:



  
    Info
  
  
    Info
  
  
    True
  
  
    False
    False
  
  
    True
  
  
    2
    True
    True
    False
    True
  
  
    True
    False
    False
    False
    
      True
      3
      Default Applications
    
  
  
    1
    
    P@ssw0rd
  
  https://yourliquitzone.liquit.com/

This is to be used with the Liquit Agent MSI which can be downloaded from our Downloads page:

Save these two in the same directory. When you install this MSI using something simple like a .cmd file, this agent.xml is automatically used during the installation:

@echo off
cls
msiexec.exe /i "Liquit-Workspace-Agent-3.6.2230.6391.msi" /qb!

In this case this is how it looks like when you use the above .cmd file after you’re copied these three files install.cmd, agent.xml and Liquit-Workspace-Agent-3.6.2230.6391.msi into the same directory:


NB1. You can use Liquit Automation in a variety of deployment scenario’s. Either to install applications after devices have been enrolled into Microsoft InTune. Either with Microsoft MDT to install default applications in your base image. Either with Microsoft WVD to install default applications in the base image. Or with VMware App Volumes creating App Volumes packages automatically. I will cover all these scenario’s in depth in the next series of blogs around Liquit Automation.

NB2. In the agent.xml example a username ‘wksimport’ (workstation import) is being used. This user needs to have the privilege to register devices and needs to be created first.

To create a ‘wksimport’ Access Policy:

  • Click Manage, Access Policies, then click ‘Add’
  • Select ‘Role, then click ‘Next’
  • Use ‘wksimport’ for the access policy name and click ‘Next’
  • Select and check the ‘Register device’ Privilege and click ‘Next’
  • Uncheck the ‘Modify access policy after creation’ and click ‘Finish

To create a ‘wksimport’ user:

  • Click Manage, Users, then click ‘Add’
  • Select ‘LOCAL’ and click ‘Next’
  • Use ‘wksimport’ for the username
  • Set a password which meets the password policy requirements.
    These are configured in the Identity Source LOCAL
    Click Manage, Identity Sources, LOCAL and then Click ‘Edit’ and then Password Policy to review its password policy
  • Click ‘Next’
  • Select ‘wksimport’ for the Access Policy and click ‘Next’
  • Deselect ‘Modify user after creation and click ‘Finish’