Getting Started - Monitoring Agents

This guide covers the installation and configuration of the Monitoring Agent, available for the following computer Operating Systems:

Agent Installation

Windows [Server and Workstation]

Agent Settings

Windows Monitoring Agent and Settings - including Agent login

Linux Monitoring Agent and Settings

Monitoring Templates (Windows and Mac)

Reduce the time taken to install Windows Agents as well as ensure each device matches the exact Check and threshold requirements with the option to apply a Monitoring Template regardless of the installation method. Automatically apply a template based on device type, Client or Site as well as choose the template during a manual install.

Dashboard and Monitoring Agent Communication URLs

Depending on the company's security policy a firewall or other web monitoring software may be deployed to filter internet connections. To avoid any potential Dashboard or Agent communication issues, we would suggest whitelisting the URLs featured in Dashboard URLs and Agent Communication URLs as well as those listed in Features URLs where there is the intention to deploy any of these features (Take Control, Web Protection, Managed Antivirus, Network Discovery etc).

Mac Device Management

From macOS 10.13.2 Apple began to change its security posture to prevent third-party applications from unauthorized interaction with the computer. This improved security posture potentially generates multiple notification and configuration requirements which can appear daunting to the end-user as they have to approve each request and can prove a barrier to installation.

We launched Mac Device Management to simplify feature deployment and remove the authorization element. Once enrolled in Mac Device Management we silently handle any Operating System approvals requests for our features without disturbing the end-user.

Mac Device Management is available for newer operating systems including Mojave and Catalina running Mac Agent 3.4.0 RC or later.

Virtual Machines, Cloned or Provisioned Computers

As part of the installation process, we assign each Agent a unique identifier to ensure that when the Agent uploads data it is registered against the correct device.

Problems may occur when after installing the Agent, the computer is then imaged or cloned. When the image or cloned computer starts, the installed Agent uploads data against the identifier for the donor computer.

To avoid this scenario, we suggest imaging or cloning a computer before installing the Agent. Then install the Agent on the image or clone after it has started.

Additional Information

When was the Monitoring Agent installed?

For audit purposes it can be useful to know when the Monitoring Agent was installed on the device and this is returned in both the User Audit Report (filter on Action: Add and Event: Device) and Device Inventory Report

Date and time of the Agent on the Dashboard

The date and time reported on the Dashboard for the Agent, Checks and Automated Tasks etc. is based on the local time of the computer the Agent is installed on.

Site Installation Packages

Remote Worker installers are available for Windows and Mac devices, Group Policy Object installers are on available for Windows. Site Installation Packages are not available for Linux.

Update

To avoid any potential problems with the Agent, we recommend that you only upgrade the Agent to a newer version and never downgrade to a previous release. If there is a requirement to install an earlier version of the Agent we would suggest uninstalling the current version first.

Uninstall

It is not possible to protect the Agent from uninstall and once initiated, an uninstall cannot be stopped.

Manage Checks

After installation, the Windows, Linux and Mac Checks are managed (added, edited or deleted) from the Dashboard. For Windows the Checks may also be managed directly on the device itself.

Asset Tracking

Once installed on the device the Monitoring Agent runs a local asset scan uploading this hardware and software information to a dedicated Asset Tracking Dashboard.