Overview
By default, the SmartDeploy Client attempts to connect to the SmartDeploy Console using the local API Service URI (over your corporate network), for example:
https://<consolehostname>:8080
If the SmartDeploy Client is able to connect successfully, then it will appear in the SmartDeploy console with a connection type of Local, and you will be able to perform operations from Computer Management via either a Local or Cloud connection.
If the SmartDeploy Client is unable to connect successfully via the local API Service URI (which is expected if the endpoint is outside your corporate network) after 5 minutes of trying, it will automatically switch to use SmartDeploy's online API service, also known as Cloud Broker. The console will check in with the same service, and the endpoint will be listed in that specific console with a connection type of Cloud. You will then be able to perform cloud-based operations onto that endpoint.
When to Force Cloud Connection by Default
If you have endpoints that are always off-site (remote users, remote offices, devices that rarely VPN, etc.), you can configure the client to use Cloud Broker immediately, skipping the 5-minute local connection attempt. This is useful when local connectivity to the console is:
unavailable (not on the corporate LAN/VPN)
unreliable (intermittent VPN/DNS/firewall issues)
intentionally not exposed outside the network
You can do this in any of the following ways:
First, you can create a new SmartDeploy Client Installation Package that's configured to force a cloud connection (see Step 3), which can then be installed manually or via Group Policy.
Second, you can install the client during reimaging (see Step 3) with Cloud Only Connection checked in Answer File Wizard.
And finally, if you have any existing installed endpoints that you would like to reconfigure to force a Cloud connection without re-installing the SmartDeploy Client, you can do the following;
- Open the Services.msc tool and stop the SmartDeploy Client Service.
- Open Notepad as Administrator and browse to and open C:\Program Files\SmartDeploy\ClientService\ClientConfig.json.
- Change the "ConnectionType" value to 2.
- Save and close ClientConfig.json.
- Start the SmartDeploy Client Service.
We can provide a script to reconfigure an existing client installation to use a cloud connection only - contact SmartDeploy Support if you're interested.
After this change has taken effect, check the endpoint in Computer Management, and you will see the Connection Type change from Local to Cloud.
