Use Group Policies to Run a Deployment

With group policies, you can advertise and install a program by assigning a deployment to computers. A deployment that is assigned to a computer can be used by any user of that computer. Generally, you would assign the deployment to a computer that is used by a large number of users.

NoteAutodesk products are designed to be installed on a computer so that any user who logs on to the computer can run the software. If you assign a deployment to a specific user rather than a computer, you may encounter problems when a second specified user tries to install or uninstall a copy of the program.

The following outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using group policies.

Advantages

Works well with deployment functionality.
Allows you to add custom files through the deployment wizard.
Allows deployment to workstations.

Disadvantages

Prohibits the passing of command-line parameters to an MSI executable. You must use scripts instead.
Prohibits customization of application settings, other than what is set while creating a deployment.

In order for AutoCAD to run properly, the following software must be installed on the computer where the program is being installed:

Available on the product disc

Microsoft .NET 3.5 SP1

DirectX 9.0C

VC++ 2008 SP1 and VC++2005 SP1 runtimes for x86 operating systems; VC++2008 SP1 and VC++2005 SP1 runtimes for x64 for 64-bit operating systems

Microsoft National Language Support Downlevel APIs

FARO LS

Autodesk Design Review 2011 (Not installed by default)

Macromedia Flash Player 9.0 or later (Not installed by default)

Autodesk Material Library 2011(CM)

Autodesk Material Library 2011 Base Image Library (ILL)

Other

Microsoft Internet Explorer version 7.0 Service Pack 1 or later. You can download Microsoft Internet Explorer from the Microsoft website by visiting www.microsoft.com.

Microsoft Installer Package (MSI) 4.5

Microsoft Windows Media Format 9.5 (prerequisite for 64-bit)

There are three main steps to distributing this program through group policies.

Create an application distribution share point. The application distribution share point is created using the deployment wizard. See Create a Default Deployment or Create a Custom Deployment to create a deployment.
Assign the deployment to a computer. See Use Group Policies to Assign a Deployment to Computers.
Verify the installation. Confirm that the program has been correctly installed. See Verify a Group Policy Deployment.

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