Guidance for Windows Software Deployment Teams
The ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent for Windows is provided as an MSI package. Each ThousandEyes customer is issued a customized MSI. The customized MSI includes configuration information to direct the agent to the correct tenant and region. No further configuration is needed. Your organization’s MSI can be generated in the ThousdandEyes portal by one of your administrators.
Instructions for this can be found here
Your organization has likely tested using browser extensions and Extended Network Tests. Please use the following MSIEXEC switches to customize the installation for your environmental needs. If no switches are provided, the installer will install the base installation that includes support for Extended Network Tests and will not install browser extensions.
If your organization is managing browser extensions centrally, it is recommended that you do not install the browser extensions during the MSI deployment. ThousandEyes recommends that you deploy the browser extension(s) using your extension management processes.
The following table documents the Msiexec switches:
Switch | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|
ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport | Extended Network Tests Support | Install Windows driver and enable support for Extended Network tests. |
EdgeExtension | Microsoft Edge Browser Extension | Enable support for collecting network metrics for approved pages in Microsoft Edge. |
ChromeExtension | Google Chrome Browser Extension | Enable support for collecting network metrics for approved pages in Google Chrome. |
IeExtension | Internet Explorer Bowrser Extension | Enable support for collecting network metrics for approved pages in Internet Explore. |
Agent | Endpoint Client Agent | Optional Switch for base agent installation. This does not include support for the Extended Network Tests. |
TcpNetworkTestsSupport | TCP Network Tests Support | Install Windows driver and enable support for TCP tests. This switch will be deprecated. More information can be found [here] (release notes). |
If no Switches are Passed, Extened Network Tests are supported and no Browser Extensions are installed.
To install the extensions via the command-line, add the relevant flags shown in the examples below:
- Install with no extensions (default):
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart - Install with all extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension" - Install with only Internet Explorer extension:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension" - Install with all extensions except Internet Explorer:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"
To view more options, including how to modify existing installs, please view the Endpoint Agent Installation Reference documentation.
The following table documents the switches for agent reinstallation:
Switch | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|
ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD | Defines the mode for the reinstallation process. | The MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME answer will prevent duplicate hostnames and tie hostname records together. |
ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY | Key to authorize the reinstallation process. | This key is generated by the account group and ensures only authorized installers are executing the reinstallation process. |
Base reinstallation with no extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY=<KEY_GOES_HERE>Base Install with all browser extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY=<KEY_GOES_HERE> ADDLOCAL="TcpNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"For example,
msiexec.exe /i "C:\Download\Endpoint Agent for Endpoint Agent-x64-1.123.0.msi" /quiet /norestart ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY="1b61d55b-a0fe-4f52-ae18-1d49a8eb0c02" ADDLOCAL="TcpNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"The ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent automatically updates. The update schedule is controlled in your ThousandEyes portal. To control this setting, refer here.