Multiple Assignments
DSM provides different means of assigning packages by a standard policy:
- Via different installation targets, e.g. assignment to an OU, directly to a computer, to a group or to a user.
- By means of different user interfaces: via the Organization Tree and the Software Library in the DSMC and via the DSM Web.
- By means of different policy types - Standard for automatic installation, Shop Policy for interactive installation or Deny to exit the installation.
Taking all these different options into account, it may happen that the same package is assigned to the same computer more than once. DSM solves these conflicts by executing only the policy with the highest priority (this is a policy property; lowest value = highest priority). The behavior explained above applies to all packages with the same Replacement ID
Every time a new package is assigned, the existing policies are displayed with the respective priority. The DSM administrator decides which priority applies to the new assignment. The default value is 1000; with the Policy Wizard the value can be automatically changed by moving it ahead of or behind another policy in intervals of 100.
The administrator also decides if a new policy is created in the first place or the installation targets are added to an existing policy instead. Adding the installation target to an existing policy reduces the risk of creating identical policies for the same package.
Special features of multiple assignments
Identical priority of policies
If the same package is assigned several times to a computer and the priority of the associated policies is identical as well, the system uses the policy with the lowest ID (this means the oldest policy).
Compliance status
The compliance status of policies that have not been installed because of their multiple assignment, remains compliance pending.
Deny policies
The specified priority also applies to deny policies. If a standard policy is assigned with a higher priority, the deny policy is not installed. However, if the deny policy has a higher priority, it is installed and the associated package is uninstalled or not installed at all.
Use case: Running a pilot installation for a new revision of a Software Set:
First, create a deny policy with a higher priority for the installed (older) revision of the Software Set. Then, assign the new revision of the same Software Set with the highest priority. DSM uninstalls the older revision based on the deny policy and then installs the new revision.
The deny policy is especially important for a Software Set whose components have changed; it guarantees that all components of the older revision are replaced by components of the newer revision.
To redo the pilot installation, the deny policy and the policy for the new revision simply have to be deleted. DSM uninstalls the new revision and installs the old revision again.