Hi Shawn
By reading your message, I assume that you're ok if your users have some tool/configuration for them to get started (self-serve manner)?
The first 3 approaches coming to my mind here are:
a) a Windows Provisioning Package
b) a custom script using JumpCloud's PS-Module (I wrote about that previously here)
c) a custom factory image loaded to your machines before shipping them to users
(or even a combination a to c)
More on a)
Provisioning Packages for Windows are very similar to Mobile Configuration Files for Macs (mobileconfig).
They are based on an XML-structure carrying configurations and payloads which can be applied to a computer.
In the case of Provisioning Packages for Windows such will be packaged and encrypted (optional).
Once done, these packages are distributed and applied in the following ways:
- Acquisition from an URL and manual execution of the package (post initial setup)
- Acquisition from a thumb drive and execution during OOBE (during initial setup)
- Execution remotely managed via powershell
Packages are created by using the Windows Configuration Designer (WCD) which is freely available either via Windows ADK or the Windows Store.
There’s also a PS-module available to create simple packages.
You can follow the wizard or create very custom settings and configurations when using the WCD.
The default "Desktop Wizard" can do the following:
- Set device name (i.e. PREFIX-%SERIAL%)
- Upgrade the Windows Product edition
- Configure the device for shared use
- Remove pre-installed software
- Configure a wifi network
- Create a local administrator account
- Add applications -> This can be used to install our JumpCloud Agent
- Add certificates
If you would want to bundle the agent, this would bloat the package quite a fair bit, but you can also bundle a powershell script which downloads/installs the agent.
Scripts can't be interactive though (they will not be shown during execution).
More on c:
If you're working with Dell (for example) you could make use of their offerings around Image Assist.
(Registration and Download).
You could consider to 'just' make use of a custom Unattend.XML which will be bundled into your OS out of the factory - or you can submit a fully customised image if it's worth effort.
If you would use a custom Unattend.XML, it can control the OOBE experience (set the computer name, create an admin etc) and you also have the option add Commands.
For example a Synchronous Command (before Logon of a user) could download our agent and a First Logon Commands triggers the installation of the agent.
Alternatively you could also download a script from a bucket and the second command would trigger that script once logged on.
One question I got from your initial post: You don't assign users via JumpCloud, but binding Okta accounts instead?
