Installing the MSI package using Group Policy

Owned by maria ieropoulos
Last updated: Nov 28, 2024 by Svetlana Sheptiy

To install the MSI package over the network group policy may be used.

Add the Snare .msi package in your Domain


The instructions should be executed on the network domain controller.  Snare{version number}.msi package must be placed in a network share folder with read access.
  1. Start 'Group Policy Management' snapshot of MMC.
    1. Go to Start | Run window or shortcut 'Windows Key + R'.
    2. Type 'mmc' in run window and click Enter.
    3. Following screen will appear. This is from Windows 2008 R2 (other windows will have similar window).
    4. Go to File | Add/Remove Snap-in. Select Group Policy Management snap-in and select Add and click OK.


    5. In Group Policy Management snap-in window, navigate to the Group Policy Objects folder.
    6. Right click on Group Policy Objects and select New. The New GPO window will appear. Enter the name of your MSI install, for example Snare Agent 4.2.3 (match the version of the agent you are using). Click OK.
    7. Right click the newly created GPO (Snare Agent 4.2.3) and select Edit. Group Policy Management Editor screen will appear. Navigate to the Software Installation option.

    8. Right click on Software Installation and select New | Package....

    9. From the file open window select your Snare{version number}.msi package from the network shared folder.
    10. After selecting the Snare .msi package, the following Deploy Software pop-up will appear.
    11. Select the Assigned option and click OK. It will add the .msi package for Software Installation. Close the Group Policy Management Editor window.
    12. In Group Policy Management snap-in window, right click on your domain name (under Domains) and select item Link an Existing GPO....
    13. The Select GPO window will appear. Select the recently created Snare Agent GPO and press OK.


    14. The snare{version number}.msi package is now added as software installation GPO in your domain.

Install the Snare Agent on Domain Computers

  1. The next step is to run the group policy objects so that the .msi package can install the Snare agent on domain computers.  Start the Command Prompt with administrative privileges and run the command gpupdate /force.
  2. If you want to install the .msi package on the domain controller too then type Y to restart.
  3. For all domain computers, the Snare agent .msi GPO is active now and the Snare agent will be installed to each computer on next system restart or log-in. It will show a screen similar to the following:
  4. Once complete the agent will be installed and the user login prompt will appear.