This article details how to deploy NetSupport DNA Agent for macOS via Microsoft Intune using the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center.
Prerequisites
- Ensure the Mac devices are enrolled into your Intune environment.
Preparing the installation
You will need:
- Mobileconfig file for the NetSupport DNA Agent permissions (oem.mdm) and macOS 10.14 and above.
- NetSupport DNA Agent.pkg installer file.
You can download the NetSupport DNA Agent.pkg installer file from the My Support area https://support.netsupportsoftware.com or the main download page on our website https://download.netsupportsoftware.com/download. - Script for parameters and launching Agents.
Locating the Mobileconfig oem.mdm file:
- To locate the mobileconfig file to be used with the Deployment, you will first need to install the DNA Agent for macOS manually on one device and set the permissions within the Permission utility (a prompt appears when the installation is complete), open Finder and navigate to /Applications/NetSupport/NetSupportDNA/SystemAgent.
- Copy the oem.mdm mobileconfig file to a local/accessible location.
Allowing full Agent functionality
Installation via Intune or other MDM solutions is done in two parts. First, a policy script is run to deploy the NetSupport DNA Agent package, install the package and point to the NetSupport DNA Server. This starts the connection part of the Agent and displays it in the PC hierarchy of your NetSupport DNA Server/Console. In this state, the Agent only reports a hardware inventory. Next, a second policy must be run to a logged-in user to get full functionality from the Agent. This is to run a policy script that starts the Agent service. Both policies must be run once. After both policies have run, the Agent will be fully functional.
Deployment of required permissions and installing the NetSupport DNA Mac Agent
1. Deploying the mobileconfig file for applying the required permissions within macOS for the NetSupport DNA Mac Agent
Log into Intune and navigate to Devices – macOS – Configuration.
Select Create – New Policy. Change Profile type to Templates, select Custom and click Create.
You need to give this policy a name.
In the Configuration settings, upload your oem.mdm.mobileconfig file. You need to give the profile a name. This is displayed to users in the Profiles section on Mac devices.
You then need to assign your profile to the Mac devices.
Over time, this profile is applied to the Mac devices and you can check its status.
2. Creating a script to set the installation parameters
A script is required to set the parameters, point the Agents to the correct NetSupport DNA Server address and specify the installation language.
-en for English
-de for German
-fr for French
-es for Spanish
-it for Italian
In Intune, go to Devices – macOS – Scripts.
Give your script a name and in the Script Settings, select Next. You then need to upload a .sh file that contains the following information:
#!/bin/sh
sudo /Applications/NetSupport/NetSupportDNA/SystemAgent/scripts/start_daemon_at_logoff server=10.20.10.142 lang=en
To change the port within the script, add port=1234. The default port is 6000.
The default language is English (en).
Server=IP/DNS name.
The bold text above changes depending on your Server IP/name and the language you wish to install.
Set the option Run script as signed-in user to No. This means it will run the script as a root user (the root user can make system changes that a standard user can’t).
You can also set a retry limit.
You can then assign this to the Mac devices.
3. Adding the pkg file into Intune
In Intune, go to Apps – macOS.
Select Add and choose Line of business as the app type. You can then upload your pkg file and assign it to the required devices.
4. Creating a second policy to run the Agent after installation
You now need to create a second policy. This policy does not require a package, but it does require a script. This is needed to allow the Agent to run after a user has logged in. This script will NOT run on logged-off Mac devices.
In Intune, go to Devices – macOS – Scripts.
Give your script a name and in the Script settings, select Next. You need to upload a .sh file that contains the following information:
#!/bin/sh
sleep 60
sudo/Applications/NetSupport/NetSupportDNA/SystemAgent/scripts/start_agent_at_user_session
Set the option Run script as signed-in user to No.
You then need to assign this to your Mac devices.
Over time, you will see results for your pkg app installation and scripts within your Intune portal.
Uninstalling the NetSupport DNA Mac Agent
You must ensure you have unassigned the Mac devices from your app package.
In the installation directory for the Agent, there is an “uninstall” script that can be run locally. However, this script can also be executed remotely via Intune. First, you need to add the script to Intune and then create a policy that will execute this script.
Using the same method for creating the previous scripts, you need to create a .sh file with the following information:
#!/bin/sh
sudo /Applications/NetSupport/NetSupportDNA/SystemAgent/uninstall
Then, upload the file, ensuring you run as a root user by setting the Run script as signed-in user option to No.