AutoInstaller

The AutoInstaller is a separate instance of the Installer. It is normally started automatically by the DSM Agent when a user logs on to a managed computer. The AutoInstaller then installs, updates, or uninstalls all the packages according to the existing policy instances.

The AutoInstaller normally installs software in the background so that the user cannot influence the installation.
Depending on the settings (resident agent, polling interval), the AutoInstaller can then check whether there are any packages awaiting automatic installation and, if appropriate, start the installation in the background.

The AutoInstaller installs with the rights of the user currently logged on. In most cases this will mean that it does not have sufficient rights to perform all the actions required for the installation. In order notwithstanding to be able to perform the relevant actions, the AutoInstaller operates the DSM Runtime Service: if required, the DSM Runtime Service will start the Named Pipe Installer (NPI) with the rights of a local administrator. The AutoInstaller then passes all the commands that require extended rights to the NPI.

As a "Named Pipe", the NPI is a separate process with which the AutoInstaller can communicate. As a result, it is possible to perform actions with extended permissions via the NPI without having to change the rights of the AutoInstaller or of the user currently logged on.

The user will normally notice little of this automatic background process. If the AutoInstaller is active and software maintenance is going on in the background, you can open the AutoInstaller window in a context-sensitive way by clicking the DSM Center icon in the task bar info area: