Pre-Installation Tasks

App Portal / App Broker 2021 R1

The steps provided in the checklist below are provided to help you prepare for the Flexera Software services engagement. Although Flexera Software is unable to identify every cause for delays in implementation, the checklist below greatly reduces typical delays experienced during an implementation of App Portal / App Broker.

Pre-Installation Tasks

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Task

Task Details

Yes

No

N/A

APT01

Download App Portal / App Broker content

Connect to the Flexera Software Product and Licensing Center:

https://flexerasoftware.flexnetoperations.com 

Download all of the files for the version of App Portal / App Broker that will be installed.

• App Portal Setup
• App Portal Web Service Setup
• App Portal ActiveX Control for Internet Explorer
• Flexera Service Gateway Installer
• App Broker - Service Now update set files (App Broker Software for ServiceNow only)

Store the downloaded files to a UNC file share.

Also, obtain the App Portal / App Broker user documentation from the Flexera Software HelpNet site:

http://helpnet.flexerasoftware.com/appportal 

 

 

 

APT02

Download the App Portal / App Broker license file

Connect to the Flexera Software Product and Licensing Center to download the license file for App Portal / App Broker.

Store the downloaded license file to a UNC file share.

 

 

 

APT03

Review App Portal / App Broker Installation Guide

Review installation guide to identify any risks for the pending implementation of App Portal / App Broker.

 

 

 

APT04

Review App Portal / App Broker Release Notes

Review the release notes to identify any risks for the pending implementation of App Portal / App Broker.

 

 

 

APT05

Create service account

Create a service account for App Portal / App Broker that has the following parameters:

• Deployment technology access 
• Full administrator access to System Center Configuration Manager or Symantec Altiris
• Read (db_datareader) and EXECUTE access to the System Center Configuration Manager or Symantec Altiris database
• App Portal / App Broker database 
• Database owner (DBO) permission
• Client systems access 
• Symantec Altiris—Full administrative access to client systems is required. This is used to connect to WMI over RPC to initiate machine policy retrieval and evaluation cycles. This is also used if client-side commands and actions have been created within App Portal / App Broker.
• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager or System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch)—Administrative access to client systems is not required.

 

 

 

APT06

Create DNS alias (optional)

Create a DNS alias for App Portal / App Broker that users will use to connect to when they access App Portal / App Broker.

 

 

 

APT07

Add DNS alias to trusted sites (if needed)

To ensure proper functionality of App Portal / App Broker, add the DNS alias to Trusted Sites through Active Directory Group Policy.

 

 

 

APT08

Disable/configure firewalls

App Portal / App Broker uses HTTP (80), SQL (1433), and RPC (to clients) to communicate between systems. If there are firewalls blocking this communication, App Portal / App Broker will not properly function. It is recommended that firewalls on App Portal / App Broker and System Center Configuration Manager systems be disabled. If corporate policy prohibits this, then exceptions are required.

 

 

 

APT09

System Center Configuration Manager hardware inventory

Ensure that hardware inventory in System Center Configuration Manager is enabled and working correctly.

It is recommended that the hardware inventory cycle occurs once every 24 hours to ensure that the data collected and used in App Portal / App Broker remains relevant and current.

 

 

 

APT10

System Center Configuration Manager software distribution

Ensure that the software distribution in System Center Configuration Manager is working properly.

 

 

 

APT11

System Center Configuration Manager OSD (optional)

Ensure that OSD in System Center Configuration Manager is working properly.

 

 

 

APT12

System Center Configuration Manager Active Directory discovery

Validate that the following discovery methods are enabled within System Center Configuration Manager:

• Active Directory Forest Discovery [System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch)]
• Active Directory User Discovery
• Active Directory System Discovery

Enable any of the above mentioned discovery methods if they are presently disabled.

Note:The Active Directory Group Discovery property is optional and can be disabled.

 

 

 

APT13

Extend System Center Configuration Manager user discovery attributes

Add the following attributes to Active Directory user discovery within System Center Configuration Manager and ensure that a full sync is run following the changes:

mail

department

title

distinguishedName

manager

company

l (lower case L)

postalCode

sn

givenName

physicalDeliveryOfficeName

displayName

Code: Add Additional Attributes Using PowerShell (x86) 

CD 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\bin\'

 

Import-Module .\ConfigurationManager.psd1

 

CD XXX:

 

Set-CMDiscoveryMethod – ActiveDirectoryUserDiscovery -AddAdditionalAttribute "department", "title", "sn", "givenName", "physicalDeliveryOfficeName", "manager", "company", "l", "postalCode", "displayName"

 

 

 

APT14

Download full .NET Framework 4.6.1 (Windows Server 2008 R2 or later)

Download the full installation of .NET Framework 4.6.1 from Microsoft's download site.

Store downloaded installation file to a UNC file share.

 

 

 

APT15

Review Computer Browser service (optional)

On the server that App Portal / App Broker web server will be installed, identify if the Computer Browser service is enabled. If not enabled, it is recommended that this be enabled for installation.

 

 

 

APT16

Gather installer account permissions

The account that will be performing the installation of App Portal / App Broker must have the following permissions/rights:

• Local administrator rights to App Portal / App Broker web server.
• SQL Server Admin (SA) rights to the SQL Server where the App Portal / App Broker database will be installed.

Have access to file store location where the App Portal / App Broker installation files and license file are stored.

 

 

 

APT17

Verify SMTP relay functionality

App Portal / App Broker sends email via existing Customer SMTP system. There are no configuration settings for authentication into SMTP, so the email administrator may need to create an exception to accept SMTP calls from the App Portal / App Broker web server.

 

 

 

APT18

Provision the App Portal / App Broker web server

Based on the information provided above on server sizing, provision the App Portal / App Broker web server prior to the beginning of the services engagement.