Using the Deployment Utility

In this topic:

Manage Computers

Before you can install the Client Recorder on computers, you must build an executable Client Installation file.

Deploying your own installation gives you the flexibility to configure Client settings exactly as you wish for individual or groups of computers. After the "secret" installation, the Client begins recording according to your configuration, and all this can happen with absolutely no user interaction at Client computer itself.

The Deployment Utility takes you step-by-step through selecting Client Recorder settings and building a file with a default name of: spsetup_Settings.sds

The Deployment Utility does not install the Client. You will select your Client Install file to run when you are ready to install.

Starting the Deployment Utility

To start the Deployment Utility:

Open the Control Center and select Manage Computers.
Open the Action menu, or right click on Manage Computers, and select Deployment Utility. The Client Deploy Utility wizard opens.
Read the Client Deploy Utility Agreement box. Click Review Agreement to read the Software License Agreement you have with SpectorSoft. You may only install the Client on the number of computers for which you are licensed. See Registration and Licensing. If you agree to the terms of the agreement, click I Agree.

Choosing a Configuration File

The Configuration file (Settings.ini) determines which settings the Deployment Utility will present and under which name the .sds Client Install file will be created.

You can create more than one Client Installation file by running the Deployment Utility again using different Configuration (.ini) files. This allows you to configure installations with different levels of recording and to retain complicated Internet Blocking or Keyword Alert specifications for different computers.

To select a Configuration File:

Leave the default Configuration file C:\...\Spector 360\Settings.ini to continue using the default settings. The settings you choose in the Deployment Utility will be retained the next time you use Settings.ini to build a Client Install file.

Enter a new name in the Configuration File box to create a new .ini file that retains specific settings. This name applies to the .sds Client Install file. For example, if you specify a new Library.ini Configuration for computers in a library, the name given the Client Install file will be spsetup_Library.sds.

Select another .ini file you previously created to use previously saved settings. Use the Browse button to navigate to the location where the file is stored.

Setting Recording Options

After you select the Configuration File, the Deployment Utility presents a panel that allows you to specify whether or not you want an activity recorded, detailed specifications for recording the activity. Click the links below for more information on each panel.

Set recording options for:

Setting Recording Limitations

Following the recording options, you can make "Record When" selections that limit all types of recording activity.

Set limitations on all recording to:

Record only on specified days and times.

Record only specified users, or exclude recording specified users.
Record only specified programs, or exclude recording specified programs.

See Configuring Record When for details.

Setting HotKey Combinations

The bottom of the "Record When" panel provides two buttons that allow you to set Hotkey combinations that you can use at the Client computer to control recording.

To create a Record Hotkey:

Click the Toggle Record Hotkey and enter a key combination in the dialog box. You will be able to use this key combination at the Client computers to manually stop recording after the Client is installed and to manually restart recording. See Configuring Record When for more details.

To create a Snapshot Hotkey:

Click the Take Snapshot Hotkey button and enter a key combination in the dialog box. After the Client is installed, you will be able to use this key combination at Client computers to manually take a Snapshot of the screen currently displayed. See Configuring Record When for more details.

Setting Alerts

The Alerts panel allows you to define keywords that cause an "Alert" event. The Client will watch for these keywords in web sites, email, and keystrokes.

To set up alerts:

Follow instructions in Configuring Keyword Alerts. Be sure to take care in setting up the email notification.

Setting Client Security

The Security panel provides an option to install a Viewer on the Client computer and fine-tune visibility of the Client. As a rule, for security, you do not want to install the Client Viewer unless there are network issues with the computer.

To install a Viewer with the Client:

Select Include Viewer with Spector Client Installation and set password and Hotkey options. The Viewer provides a view of recording activity on the Client and allows you to start and stop recording, and uninstall the Client. Clear this option to keep the Client completely invisible. See Configuring Client Security. This panel also provides access to Client data file storage limits, under the Client Data Files button.

Blocking Internet Access

The "Block Internet Access" panel allows you to block Internet access for all computers on which this Client Install file is installed. The "Block When" schedule follows on the next panel, allowing you to schedule the Internet Blocking you have set up.

To block Internet Access:

Select Block Internet Access. If you deselect this option, there are no limits on Internet access, and no other settings are available. See Configuring Internet Blocking for complete details.
Click Next to schedule Internet Blocking. Use the "Block When" panel to set up the days and hours when Internet blocking will be in effect. This panel also allows you to specify particular users to block from the Internet. See Scheduling Internet Blocking.

If you have no Internet Blocking set, but make "Block When" changes, the Deployment Utility displays a prompt informing you that it is changing your settings to "Block All Internet Access" at the time you specify. If this isn't what you want, you need to either turn off scheduling or make specific blocking selections.

Server Communication

The last panel in the build is "Server Communication," which specifies the computer names and IP addresses of the Primary Server and Data Vault computer(s). The default settings are taken from the Spector 360 Server Components installation. There is likely little need to change them. See Configuring Server Communications Click Finish.

Build Options

At this point you have created the Settings.ini (or other) Configuration file and are ready to build the spsetup_Settings.sds file, the executable Client install file.

To build the Installation File:

Click Build. If you are using the Deployment Utility on a Windows XP client with Firewall enabled, a rule is automatically added — Program: 'System Event Dispatcher', Port: 2468. Choose your build options

Install in Quiet or Silent Mode? See Quiet vs. Interactive Installation.
Check this option to have the Client installation run without requiring user interaction (recommended for remote installation). Clear this option for user interaction with the installation.

If you need to install manually at Client computers, you may want to build a non-silent Client Install file to use. The dialog boxes will help you track the installation progress on these Clients.

Interactive Options - If you deselect Quiet or Silent Mode, the other options become active. Choose the dialog boxes you want to appear. See Quiet vs. Interactive Installation.
Show Installation Warning Dialog?
Check to show a warning dialog box. Click Edit to open a Spector Installation Warning box. Type the warning message you wish to appear to the user. Click Save. Clear this option to omit the warning.
Use Fixed Filenames
Check this option to use unchanging file names for the Client Recorder software. SpectorSoft normally installs monitoring software with filenames that change with each installation to remain undetected.

End the Build

At the end of the Build options, a message informs you that the Spector Client Installation file was created and where it is located. Click OK.

To install the Client from the Control Center you will select the .sds file you just created. To install the Client at the Client computer, you will rename the install file from spsetup_xxx.sds to an spsetup_xxx.exe file extension.

By default the Deployment Utility creates a Client Install file with an .sds file extension. This allows you to easily identify the Spector Client install files when starting an installation. In addition, the .sds extension prevents accidental execution of the Client Install on your Control Center computer.