The SmartDeploy web console allows you to access all of SmartDeploy's robust OS and application deployment features right through your web browser. The web console is installed automatically along with the SmartDeploy Desktop Console (which is still available and can be launched from the Start Menu).
The web console is a major new feature which offers all the same features as the desktop console (covered throughout the rest of the SmartDeploy help center), as well as exciting new features like multi-user access and distribution points.
Most of SmartDeploy's functions work just the same as they always have - they just have a new look and easier ways to access them.
We appreciate you bearing with us as we update our documentation!
Visual comparison
The SmartDeploy web console is hosted on your SmartDeploy central server PC, and it will launch by default when you first install SmartDeploy. The web console can be accessed locally at any time via the Start Menu or by opening a web browser on the SmartDeploy central server and connecting to:
Seamless multiuser access
Any authorized SmartDeploy user in your organization can launch a web browser from a different computer or mobile device on your company network (including over a VPN connection if applicable), and connect to your SmartDeploy web console by entering the hostname or IP address of your SmartDeploy central server, on port 8080.
For example, if your SmartDeploy central server is called "SmartDeployPC", then your SmartDeploy users can access the web console at
https://smartdeploypc:8080/web
Note that Port 8080 is the default port for the SmartDeploy API Service and web console, but you can change it to a different port if preferred.
Key concepts for multiuser access:
- Any number of users can connect to the SmartDeploy web console at the same time, and their actions will be queued and performed by the central server in the order initiated.
- These users will be working with the same set of local files stored in the SmartDeploy directory on that central server - C:\SmartDeploy by default.
- The files do not need to exist on the remote computer which is accessing the web console.
The SmartDeploy desktop console is also installed with SmartDeploy, and can be accessed at any time via the Start Menu from the computer where SmartDeploy is installed. If another user wishes to launch the desktop console, they would need to connect to the SmartDeploy central server using a remote desktop connection or similar, and launch the desktop application from the Start Menu.
All of the same console libraries and functions exist in the desktop and web consoles, and any actions performed in the desktop console will be synced the web console.
The desktop console will be phased out at a future date.
Control your console from any local device
The SmartDeploy web console is locally hosted and allows for multi-user access, serving as an interface for a single on-prem SmartDeploy installation, and the set of files which exist on that central server (in C:\SmartDeploy by default).
A SmartDeploy user on another Windows PC on the same network can connect to the web console using their web browser, and they can perform all of the same actions that are available in the desktop console or the web console when run on the central server, provided that they have the SmartDeploy web tools installed.
The web tools allow a remote Windows PC to perform any function which would require launching wizards or modifying existing files/assets on the central server.
A SmartDeploy user on a non-Windows or mobile device, or on a Windows device without the web tools installed, can still access the web console via their browser, and they can perform actions which make use of (or delete) existing files/assets, such as initiating, checking status of, or canceling deployments, or viewing device information.
Any function that can be performed on the SmartDeploy desktop console by a user logged into the central server locally can also be performed on the web console by any SmartDeploy user on a Windows PC on the same network, as long as that user has the web tools installed on their machine.
Any function which does not require the creation or editing of existing deployment assets can be performed by a SmartDeploy user on any device with a web browser, including Windows, non-Windows, and mobile devices.
For a complete list of which web console functions can be performed in which environments, click here for a (PDF) feature grid.
How to install the SmartDeploy web tools
Any SmartDeploy user in your organization can install the web tools from the web console by clicking the Download Tools button on the Getting Started page:
Currently, the installer for the SmartDeploy web tools is the full SmartDeploy console (including all of its prerequisites and components). Clicking the Download Tools button will download the full SmartDeploy installer.
In a future version, clicking this button will download a standalone web tools installer, which will install the web tools (including all SmartDeploy prequisites and components), but not the API service or the desktop console.
Launching desktop functions from the web console
When performing actions from the web console which create or edit existing files/assets, the web console will launch the SmartDeploy web tools to perform the selected action automatically, using a URL protocol (similar to how you might launch web conference software from a link on a web page).
For example, if a user is in the Images library and wants to Capture an Image from a Virtual Disk File, they would click the Actions menu, and then click Capture.
The URL protocol will attempt to launch the SmartDeploy web tools to perform the action. Depending on your browser settings, you may receive a warning similar to this, indicating that this site is trying to open SmartDeploy.WebTools.
If you do not wish to see this warning again, you can check the box to always allow this operation on this site and app, and then click Open. The selected tool or operation (in this case, Capture Wizard) will launch.
The SmartDeploy web tools are also used to set up local distribution points - additional (optional) local repositories of files and assets to be used for deployments, e.g. at a specific branch office location. Distribution points allow you to direct deployments to occur to your endpoints using whatever resource is closest/most accessible to those endpoints, whether that is a separate server at a local branch office, or your cloud storage account. See Distribution points for complete details, instructions, and example architecture.
Add clients to your SmartDeploy web console
All endpoints reporting to a particular central server will appear in Computer Management in both the desktop and web consoles.
If you have existing clients which previously appeared in the desktop console, they will continue to appear in both locations, without any action required.
This procedure is largely unchanged from the desktop console. To generate a SmartDeploy client installer (pointing to your SmartDeploy central server), open the web console and switch to the Getting Started tab.
In the central pane, under Add Devices | Generate the SmartDeploy client installer, click the Action button.
This will launch the web tools and open the Generate Client Installer wizard:
By default, the client installer will allow the endpoint to connect to the SmartDeploy console that you are currently connected to (with localhost automatically replaced with the actual hostname). If you would prefer to generate a client installer for a different central server, enter that hostname in API Service URI instead in place of localhost.
Choose a local path to save the file, and OK. After you have generated the installer MSI, you can install it onto your endpoints using whichever method you prefer.
Where should I point my clients if I'm using multiple distribution points?
We recommend that you use the same installer and specify the same API Service URI (for your central server) for all endpoints. With this method, all of your endpoints will be in a single Computer Management view. Even if you intend to use distribution points to make deployment files available more easily at other branch office locations, we still recommend pointing all endpoints toward the same central server.
As a best practice, if you are managing devices at multiple locations (or a mix of in-office and remote users), we recommend adding endpoints to geographical Groups in Computer Management. This is useful to keep your endpoints organized and easily identifiable by location, and if you want to use local distribution points, this will allow you to direct those endpoints to make use of the distribution point that is most accessible at their location, as applicable in your environment, either immediately or in the future.
Each full SmartDeploy installation is hosting an API service which queues up all actions that are performed on that central server in the order received, regardless of where they initiated from:
- A local user logged into the central server directly
- A remote desktop user logged into the central server remotely
- A remote user connected to the web console via their browser
In Computer Management, all clients which are connected to that console's API service appear and are available for deployment actions, irrespective of their physical/network location or connection type. Even if you are running multiple locations, each with their own distribution point, and a mix of local and cloud-connected endpoints, you could still connect them all to your primary console if you want to manage them in a single location. The Computer Management view will display the same set of endpoints regardless of which method above is used to view it.
Distribution points are local repositories of assets available to be used for deployment - they do not act as "relays" for deployment messages sent from your central server. Deployment instructions are sent directly from the console API service on the central server to each endpoint, whether over a local connection (on a local network or remotely connected via VPN/WAN connection between offices) or a cloud connection (via SmartDeploy's online services).
If you would prefer to manage your clients in completely separate groups in separate locations/departments, then you may prefer to set up separate SmartDeploy console installations in each location/department, and point those clients toward their nearest console. However, if you go with this method, the Computer Management view of each central server will only list those endpoints which are pointed toward that specific API service.
