Configure Caching

1. Overview
2. Configuration
3. Document Revision History

Overview

Your Windows update files can be cached to a network share at each location.  Please note that when caching is set up, there will be a network drive on all agent machines. The default drive letter is 'X' but you can alter the drive letter by inputting the cache directory field in this manner '%drive%|U:' with 'U' being the custom drive letter of your choice.

Configuration

1. Determine the network share (\\server\share) to be used for caching, for each location.
2. From the Control Center, expand Clients > Client and then double-click on a Location or right-click and select Locations > Modify Location.
   Figure 1: Location - General tab
   
3. Enter the UNC path of the share in the Drive field (e.g., \\server\share).
4. Enter the Username and Password to connect to the network share or you can use the existing administrative account that is assigned to the location on the Deployment & Defaults tab.
5. Click on the Deployment & Defaults tab.  You will be prompted to continue without saving information.  Click Yes to continue making changes.  Clicking No will close the location.
   Figure 2: Location - Deployment & Defaults
   
6. If you are using the administrative credentials to connect to the network share, select the appropriate administrator from the Login to use for Administrator Access drop-down, if not already selected.
7. Click Save and close this window.
8. Next, a template needs to be created to enable and define the cache.  In the Control Center, expand Admin and then right-click Templates.Select Templates > Add New Template.
   Figure 3: New Template - Enable Cache
   
9. Enter a descriptive name for the Template Name.
10. Click on the Folders and Cache tab.
    Figure 4: Template Configuration - Folders and Cache
    
11. Select the Enable checkboxes for Cache Directory, Cache Username and Cache Password.
12. Enter '%drive%' in the Cache Directory field.  This will reference the network share defined for the location.  The default drive letter is 'X' but you can alter the drive letter by inputting the cache directory field in this manner '%drive%|U:' with 'U' being the custom drive letter of your choice.
13. Enter the appropriate variables in the Cache Username and Cache Password fields (e.g., %adminusername% and %adminpassword%) if you are using the administrative account assigned to the location.   Otherwise, use the %username% and %password% variables (if you manually entered a username and password in step 4).

    ---

    TIP: You can use [F2] to select the variables from a list.  Once selected, press [Enter] to accept.

    ---

14. Click Add.
15. Next, create a group.  In the Control Center, right-click Groups and select Add Group.
16. Double-click on the new group to edit.
    Figure 5: New Group - Enable Caching
    
17. Enter a descriptive Name for the group (e.g., Enable Caching).
18. Select the template you created (e.g., Enable Cache) from the Template drop-down.
19. Click Save.
20. Now, you need to assign members to the group. Drag and drop the appropriate members to the group. 
    Once the template is applied to the group, the members in this group will use the new cache settings.  Any software or hotfix deployed by LabTech will first be copied to the cache location and then installed from it.  All subsequent deployments of that software or hotfix for these group members will immediately source from the existing build file stored in the new cache.

    ---

    NOTE: Templates are applied to a computer or group of computers when the Update Config command is received.  The configuration is updated automatically, based on the schedule set in the template.  However, this can be done manually by right-clicking on the client, location, computer or group and selecting Commands > Inventory > Update Config for an immediate change.

    ---

21. You can test your new cache directory, by opening one of the computers that belongs to the caching group and deploy some software or install a hotfix.  Once installed, you should see build file in the cache. 

Document Revision History