How to Install Agents on Workgroup-Joined Computers in Essentials

Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010

To prepare System Center Essentials 2010 to manage workgroup-joined computers, you must first obtain certificates for each workgroup-joined computer for authentication with the Essentials management server, and then approve each computer for management in the Essentials console. For more information about how to prepare to manage workgroup-joined computers, see How to Prepare the Essentials Management Server to Manage Workgroup-Joined Computers.

Check that the computer where you will install the Essentials 2010 agent is running the following required software:

• Microsoft XML 6.0 Parser: the MSXML 6.0 Parser is installed automatically with the agent, or you can download the MSXML 6.0 Parser, also named Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=76343).

1. On the System Center Essentials 2010 Setup media, start SetupSCE.exe.

   Tip

   For more information about how to install Essentials 2010 from a network share, see Troubleshooting Your Initial Essentials Setup and Configuration.

2. Click Install Essentials Agent to run the Essentials 2010 Agent Installer.

3. Under Essentials Server, specify the following:

   • In the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) box, type the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the Essentials management server.

   • In the Management Group Name box, type the name of the management group in the format Management Server NetBIOS name_MG.

4. Under Program Files Location, click Browse, and then select the folder where Essentials 2010 files will be installed.

5. You will require the following certificates from the Essentials_folder\Certificates folder of the Essentials management server. If you cannot access the Essentials_folder\Certificates folder over the network, you can copy the certificates from the Essentials_folder\Certificates folder to the Agent_installation_folder\Certificates folder on the local computer:

   • WSUSSSLCert.cer, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate for Windows Server Update Services

   • WSUSCodeSigningCert.cer, the code signing certificate for Windows Server Update Services

   Under Certificates, click Browse to find and select the certificates.

6. Select the check box This computer is joined to a workgroup. Click Browse to find and select the Personal Computer Certificate you created by using the procedure in the previous section, and type the password for the Personal Computer Certificate in the box. The certificate you select must be issued against the same certification authority (CA) as the certificate that is used on the Essentials management server.

7. Click Browse to find and select the Trusted Root Certificate of the CA that created the Personal Computer Certificate.

8. Click Install.

How to Prepare the Essentials Management Server to Manage Workgroup-Joined Computers

Troubleshooting Your Initial Essentials Setup and Configuration