What order should I place my Post install tasks? (4216980)

The order that you place your post install tasks can have a huge impact on the success of your deployments.

There are 3 things to remember when placing post install tasks

1. Does this task have the potential to lock down the system causing other tasks to fail?

Eg. Join domain or Anti-Virus

2. Does the task install something or join something that will possibly implement other automation?

eg. Kace agent (managed installs and scripts), Join domain (GPOs that launch scripts)

3. Are there any dependencies for this task or is the task a dependency for something else?

eg. Net install should come before anything that requires it.

Generally speaking, the last three task should be in this order:

• Kace agent (if required)
• Anti-virus or security software
• Join Domain.

The Kace agent has the potential to kick off managed installs and scripts in the middle of your deployment if you give it enough time to do so. It is best to let the k2000 finish its job before letting the K1000 do anything to the system.

Antivirus can lock down the system to the point of not letting the agent install among other things. The roadblock is not insurmountable but it makes things much more difficult to deal with.  Try to install without enabling the AV agent to scan the system right away.

Joining the domain is similar to antivirus in that it can lock down the machine in ways that make automation difficult. It can be addressed but is more complicated than just leaving the system wide open until the very end.