Choosing a Deployment Method

Microsoft recommends that you base your method for deploying the DCP on your existing infrastructure. You can choose one of several ways to distribute a DCP to your identified client computers, including the following (listed in order of preference):

• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 After performing an inventory of your applications, you can use the software deployment feature in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 to deploy the DCPs to the client computers. Additionally, the inventory information that it contains is a valuable aid.
• Group Policy Software Installation Create an .msi package for each DCP, and then use the Group Policy Software Installation feature of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 for deployment. All client computers to which you will deploy the DCP must be part of the AD DS forest.
• Logon scripts While logged on to a domain from the client computers, you can initiate the installation of DCPs using logon scripts in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
• Non-Microsoft deployment software If your organization has a non-Microsoft software deployment infrastructure, use that method to deploy the DCPs. For information about the requirements of the non-Microsoft deployment software, consult the software vendor.
• Manual distribution For computers that are not connected to the network or that have slow connections, such as small branch offices, manual distribution methods are available. These methods include distributing the collection packages through e-mail or on physical media such as a USB Flash drive (UFD) or CD.

Choosing a Log File Location

When you are creating a DCP in the ACM, you can select an output location for your log files. The following configuration options are available:

• Select a default ACT Log Processing share location If you use this option, the DCP automatically writes the log files to the ACT Log Processing share. If the ACT Log Processing share is unavailable when the specified upload time interval is reached, the DCP will make two more attempts. If the problem persists, the DCP will store the log file in the location defined in the next option. All files are then retried during the next upload interval.
• Select the Local (%ACTAppData%\DataCollector\Output) location If you use this option, the DCP creates the log files on the local system and the computer Administrator must manually copy the files to the ACT Log Processing share location. This is a good option for mobile users that are not always connected to the network. If you select this option, Microsoft recommends that you either notify your users to copy the collected data to the ACT Log Processing share or employ an alternate method to collect the data from the client computers and copy the information into the ACT Log Processing share.
• Type an alternate network share location If you use this option, you must verify that the DCP service can write to the location. This is a good option for companies that are geographically diverse (for example, if you have branches in North America and Europe). An IT administrator can create DCPs and file shares individually for North America and Europe, which further enables administrators at a central location to roll up all the collection log files to a central location. These log files are then mapped to the ACT Log Processing share for final processing and entry into the ACT database.