Big Green IT

Microsoft Cloud Consulting Services

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

 

 

 

Silent MSI Skykick Outlook Assistant Deployment

When migrating via EWS, you can eliminate the need for end-users to install or sign into the Skykick Outlook Assistant (SKOA) by using a silent MSI deployment. End-user destination credentials are required prior to cutover for Outlook profile creation. This can be done by end-users directly through Password Reception or manually by the partner in the Migration Dashboard. For more information, see User Credentials. For other deployment methods, see Deploying the Outlook Assistant.

Roll-out of new version of SKOA

SkyKick is currently rolling out a newer version of SKOA. In addition to the requirements listed in the section below, the new version includes the following requirements:

  • Outlook 2016+ x64
  • Windows 10 x64

Note: If a migration is enabled for 8.0, the migration technology will automatically deploy SKOA 8.0 on any machine that meets the requirements and will deploy SKOA 7.3 on any machine that does not.

Silent MSI deployment for SKOA on all machines

If the migration project has not been enabled to deploy SKOA 8.0 to qualifying machines, follow the instructions below.

Roles and requirements

Requirements

  • Computers must be domain-joined
  • .NET Framework 4.6+ pre-installed
  • Destination credentials must be provided prior to cutover for Outlook profile creation
  • SAM Account Names must be provided

End User action

Provide destination credentials via Password Reception, unless being provided by the partner in the Migration Dashboard.

Client action

  1. Place migration order
  2. Provide SAM Account Names for device registration
  3. Download Outlook Assistant MSIs
  4. Create deployment package
  5. Deploy MSI package (via Group Policy or other tool or process)
  6. Manage end user progress for destination credentials or provide manually

Step 1: Place migration order

Place migration order with your sales representative.

Step 2: Provide SAM Account Names for device registration

Once the migration order has been placed and before SKOA is deployed, you will need to provide SAM Account Names for each user. This can be done in one of two ways:

Option 1: Upload SAM Account Names via CSV.

Option 2: Install the SkyKick Exchange Assistant (where possible), either before the migration has started and still being configured in the migration planner or once the migration is underway.

Step 3: Download Outlook Assistant MSIs

  1. Download the Outlook Assistant MSI.
  2. Click the link to download SKOA ZIP file

    skoasi1.2.png

Step 4: Prepare the deployment package

  1. Extract all files from SKOA ZIP file
  2. Open and run SKOA MSI Helper
  3. Set/Update Organization Key
  • Enter the path to the Outlookassistant.msi.
  • Enter your Exchange/Outlook Asst. Key that was given to you from Big Green IT.
  • Click Set/Update Organization Key

     

     

skoasi1.5c.png

Important: If you have a mixed environment, you will need to configure separate packages for 32-bit versions and 64-bit versions of Windows.

For PCs running a 64-bit version of Windows, select:

  • outlookassistant
  • mapi64helper

For PCs running a 32-bit version of Windows, select:

  • outlookassistant

Note: If SKOA is installed on a machine, whenever a user with a SAM Account Name logs into that machine, SKOA will attempt to create an Outlook profile for that user. If there are any machines in an organization on which this behavior is not desired (e.g. a machine which many users may log into for a specific task, but on which no user would require an Outlook profile), those machines should be excluded from the deployment process.

Step 5: Deploy MSI package

The MSI package can be deployed via Group Policy or other deployment process or tool (e.g. RMM). If you are using another tool, refer to that tool’s instructions for performing an MSI deployment. For instructions on deploying via Group Policy, see the Silent MSI Deployment via Group Policy section below.

Step 6: Manage progress of destination credentials or provide manually

Destination credentials are required for Outlook profile creation. Whether end-users are providing these via the Password Reception Process or you are providing them manually, ensure this is completed prior to cutover.

You can eliminate the need for end users to install or sign into the Outlook Assistant by using a Silent MSI deployment. End user destination credentials are required prior to cutover for Outlook profile creation. This can be done by end users directly through Password Reception or manually. 

Silent MSI deployment via Group Policy

The following instructions are for deploying the MSI package via Group Policy. 

Disclaimer: The following instructions and code snippets are provided to help you use Group Policy to perform an MSI deployment. Because Group Policy is not within the scope of a migration project, these instructions represent the extent to which Big Green IT provides help with the deployment process. If you need further help, talk to your sales person.

For more information and troubleshooting, refer to Microsoft for official guidance.

Step 1: Create a shared folder on the Windows Server

Create a shared folder on the Windows Server from which you wish to create the Group Policy.

In order for the MSI installation to work, the MSI needs to be placed in a Shared Folder on the server such that it can be accessed by every user/device. You can use an existing network share, but it is often simpler when troubleshooting if you create a new one.

Once you have established the Shared Folder you will use, follow the following steps to grant access to everyone you wish to provision with the Outlook Assistant.

  1. Right click the folder
  2. Select the Sharing tab
  3. Click Share
    skoasi2.3.png
  4. Add the names of the Users to whom you wish to grant access, or simply enter “Everyone” to enable the package to be accessible by every user/device (typical). (Users only require Read access.)skoasi2.4.png
  5. Click Share and make a note of the Network Path.
    skoasi2.5.png
  6. Click Close

Step 2: Configure Group Policy

  1. Open the Group Policy Management console from Administrative Tools menuskoasi3.1.png
  2. Once the console opens, expand the navigation tree to the domain for which you would like to deploy the Outlook Assistant
  3. Right-click the domain and select Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here…skoasi3.3.png
  4. Give the Group Policy any name you please
  5. Once the Group Policy Object has been created, find it in the Group Policy Objects folder, right-click it and select Edit.
    skoasi3.5.png
  6. Once the Group Policy Management Editor has opened, expand the tree through Computer Configuration->Policies->Software Settings
  7. Right-Click Software installation and select New->Packageskoasi3.7.png
  8. Navigate to the Network Address of the Shared Folder you created earlier.

Note: Navigate to the UNC address (generally \\server\path) NOT the local path (e.g. c:\mysharedfolder). For the MSI deployment to be possible the path specified must be a path the device can access over the network, therefore the local path on the server will not work correctly.

  1. Select the Outlook Assistant MSIs you downloaded and configured earlier.

Important: If you have a mixed environment, you will need to configure two Group Policy Objects, one for 32-bit versions of Windows and one for 64-bit versions of Windows.

For PCs running a 64-bit version of Windows, select:

  • outlookassistant
  • mapi64helper

For PCs running a 32-bit version of Windows, select:

  • outlookassistant
  1. Click OK
  2. Ensure Assigned is selected as the Deploy Software option and click OK The Group Policy Object may take a few seconds to create, and you will need to click OK for each MSI you are including in the GPO)
  3. Return to the Group Policy Management console and select your Group Policy Object
    1. In the right pane, under Security Filtering select Authenticated Users and click Remove.skoasi3.12a.png
    2. Once Authenticated Users has been removed, click Add.
    3. Type “Domain Computers” and click Check Names. Exclude any computers on which you do not want Outlook profiles created.
      skoasi3.12c.png
    4. Click OK

Note: If you have a mixture of 32 and 64 bit PCs you may need to add each PC Name specifically to the list of objects to which the Group Policy will apply. Alternatively, create an Active Directory Group for 32 and 64 bit PCs respectively. You can then add the relevant group rather than specifying the PCs individually here.

  1. Open a command prompt and type “gpupdate” and press enter to ensure the Group Policies have been updated.
  2. Group Policies can take some time to propagate to each PC. To force a PC to update its Group Policies, you can go to each PC, open a command prompt and type “gpupdate /force” (this will require a reboot). The next time the PC reboots and connects to the Domain, the Group Policy will be enforced.

 

 

 

 

Check out our resources below for more information on Azure and Office 365

On Demand Webinars

Migration Guides

Cloud Migration Blog

>