Administration Guide > Installation > New Installation > Installing the Agent for Windows

Installing the Agent for Windows

This document guides you through the new installation of a Windows agentA program that enables the de-centralized execution of processes (such as deployments) on target systems (computers or business solutions) or a service that provides connectivity to a target system (such as for databases or middleware). An agent is also an object type in the Automation Engine. [Formerly called "Executor."] See also: host.

The Windows agent can be used for 32-bit and 64-bit. Each version is identified using a three-digit abbreviations. These abbreviations are used in the agents' file names, and are described in theTerminology. In this document, the specific abbreviation is replaced by "???."

64-bit Windows platforms: Automic recommends installing a 64-bit agent if you intend to start 64-bit programs and applications through it. Using a 32-bit agent for this purpose may cause problems.

The following guide describes how to install an agent in an AE system in which authentication is not used. Additional installation steps are required before the agent can be started and used, if you intend to use one of the available authentication methods. More detailed information is provided in the document Advanced Security.

Automic strongly recommends installing the agent in a separate directory (such as C:\AUTOMIC\AGENT\WINDOWS).

Supplied Installation Files

The files of the Windows agent are found in the directory IMAGE:AGENTS\WINDOWS.

File name Description
UCXJ???.EXE Windows agent.
UCXJ???M.EXE Message program for Windows agent.
UCXJ???.INI INI file for Windows agent.
UC.MSL Message library.

UCSMTP.DLL

Library for the email connection via SMTP.

ZU00132.DLL

Runtime library for shared functions.

SETUP.EXE

Installation program (only for Intel IA-32).

Other files from this subdirectory are components of the installation program and the AE runtimeThe duration of a task's execution. It refers to the period between a task's start and end. It does not include its activation period (see also: activation and start). system. See: Knowledge Base.

The CallAPI files and CallAPIA programming interface that processes a script in the Automation Engine system. It can be called directly from within the program itself or from a different program. implementation are described in a separate document.

Potential Problems


Windows Agent for System-Wide E-mail Connection

Automic's system-wide email connection can be implemented using a Windows agent. Detailed information about setting up this email connection is provided in the Knowledge Base.


Procedure

1.

Installing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package

This installation step can be ignored if the packageA Package is an instance (a version, a revision, a tag, …) of your application and defines the content which you want to deploy. Here you decide, if you want to deploy the entire application or just a few specified components. is already available in the required version. Refer to the Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs to see if the package is installed, and if so, which version.

2. Installing the Agent
3. Setting up the system environmentAn Environment consists of Deployment Targets which represent your endpoints. Different environments are used for different phases in the software delivery cycle, for example Development, QA, Staging, Production. An environment is typically set up once and used by several applications.

*) This right is only required if you start jobs by using the start option "logon as batch user".

**) This right is necessary for the execution of job objects.
For the extended FileTransfer objectAutomation Engine controlled activities and processes are structured in the form of objects. See also: Task (as of v9) this right is usually optional. It is necessary, however, when the agent transfers encrypted files with a file transferTransfers files from one computer to another. A particular Automation Engine object type (FileTransfer object). because the agent uses the WinAPI "LoadUserProfile".

In Windows, the Local Security Policy can be called via the Control Panel -> Administrative Tools. Rights are defined in User Rights Assignment in the Local Security settings.

All Windows users that should execute "BAT"-type jobs required the right "Read & Execute" for the agent's "bin" and "temp" directory. Otherwise, an error message occurs when the job starts (Access denied). Doing so is only necessary if the agent's INI-file parameter LOGON=1 or the UC_HOSTCHAR_*'s setting ANONYMOUS_JOB is set to "N"..

  • Admin computer or Server computer
  • Adjust HEADER.WINDOWS, TRAILER.WINDOWS and RESTART.WINDOWS if necessary. See: Job - Execution. 
  • 4. Starting the Agent

    Use the ServiceManager to start or end the agent as a service.

    5. Shutting down the Agent

    Comments

    Below you will find more detailed information about additional rights that are required when you install the Windows agent as described above in the section "Setting up the system environment".

    The Windows agent requires certain additional rights under Windows in order to be able to use the Windows APIs that are listed below.

    The agent requires these rights in order to process file transfers and start jobs in different user contexts. Although users are defined in the Automation EngineThis component drives an Automation Engine system and consists of different types of server processes. jobs, the agent must still be able to log on with the privilegesPrivileges in the Automation Engine refer to user rights to work with certain frontend and user interface functions. You grant privileges to users in the Automation Engine. of the particular user, read user profiles and start Jobs, for example. Therefore, Automic recommends starting the agent via the Service ManagerThe Service Manager serves to start, stop and access components such as the Automation Engine processes or agents from a central point. as a SYSTEM user.

    When you start the agent as a regular user, however, you should install it with the recommended additional authorizations in order to make sure that it can process the above tasks:

    The right 'log on as a batch job' is required when the option "log on as a batch user" has been activated in the Windows Jobs of the AE system's Job objects.

    See also:

    Configuring the Debugger for potential program failures

     


    Automic Documentation - Tutorials - Automic Blog - Resources - Training & Services - Automic YouTube Channel - Download Center - Support

    Copyright © 2016 Automic Software GmbH