Package Deployment

Jamf Pro Documentation 11.16.0
Solution
Application
Content Type
Technical Documentation
Utilities & Services
version
11.16.0
ft:locale
en-US
vrm_version
11.16.0

You can use a policy in Jamf Pro to deploy a package. Policies allow you to remotely install packages on managed computers. You can automate package installation so that it runs at a specified frequency.

When you configure a policy, you can do the following for each package you add to the policy:

  • Fill user templates

  • Fill existing user home directories

Note:

The Fill user templates and Fill existing user home directories checkboxes are only compatible with DMG files.

You can choose the following actions you want computers to take when running the policy:

Action

Description

Install

This option enables computers to install the package when they run the policy. To install a package on computers, the package must exist on the distribution point you plan to deploy it from and in Jamf Pro.

Cache

This option enables computers to download a cached package without installing it right away. To cache a package on computers, the package must exist on the distribution point you plan to deploy it from and in Jamf Pro.

Install Cached

This option enables computers to install one or more of the cached packages. To install a specific cached package, the package must exist on the distribution point you plan to deploy it from and in Jamf Pro.

Uninstall

This option enables computers to uninstall a package.

To uninstall the package from computers, you need previously captured index information.

Note:

  • If the package is an Adobe CS3/CS4 installation, it does not need to be indexed or configured so that it can be uninstalled.

  • Jamf Pro's built-in uninstall functionality only works for applications that were indexed via the Jamf Admin application, which was removed in Jamf Pro 11.7. If a package was uploaded or modified after upgrading to that version, you must use an alternative uninstallation method, such as a dedicated uninstaller from the app vendor or a custom script.

Packages must be in one of the following formats to deploy them to computers:

  • DMG

  • PKG

  • MPKG

    The MPKG format may not always work natively with policies. This is because permissions that are embedded in the files within the MPKG may conflict with the privileges used by the distribution point read/write user. It is recommended that you deploy the MPKG file to a test computer first. If the deployment does not install successfully, use Composer to make a DMG package for distribution with a policy. Composer will not convert the MPKG to DMG format, but you can use the Snapshot or the Pre-installed method to create a DMG package. Composer can be used to convert DMG and PKG packages. For more information, see the Composer User Guide.