Guidance for Windows Software Deployment Teams

The ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent for Windows is provided as an MSI package. The Windows installer package (MSI) installs all the components necessary for the Endpoint Agent to function. Further 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.

Guidance On 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 deploying the browser extension(s) using your extension management processes.

Command-Line Options for Msiexec / Msiexec Switches.

The following table documents the Msiexec switches:

SwitchDescriptionAction

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.

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"

The commands listed above require you to subsequently register the agent using the connection string, using this command: te-agent --register <connection_string>

The above command needs to be run on the administrator console and the te-agent is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\ThousandEyes\Endpoint Agent

Alternatively, you can pass the connection string as a parameter and skip the step of registering the agent. The following command installs an agent with no extensions (default):

msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>"

To view more options, including how to modify existing installs, please view the Endpoint Agent Installation Reference documentation.

Agent Reinstallation

To re-install the agent on the same machine, refer to the instructions here.

The following table documents the switches for agent reinstallation:

SwitchDescriptionAction

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 ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY="<reinstallation_key>"

Base Install with all browser extensions: msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY="<reinstallation_key>" ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"

For example, msiexec.exe /i "C:\Download\Endpoint Agent for Endpoint Agent-x64-1.123.0.msi" /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY="1b61d55b-a0fe-4f52-ae18-1d49a8eb0c02" ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"

Software Updates

The ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent automatically updates. The update schedule is controlled in your ThousandEyes portal. To control this setting, refer here.

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