Managing Updates for HP Insights Agent

Introduction

HP Insights Windows Application (also referred to as Insights Agent), software is a core component of the HP Workforce Experience Platform (WXP) and is deployed across device fleets. This guide explains how HP Insights Agent updates are managed and how IT administrators can control update policies to align with organizational needs. Currently, WXP supports the following approaches:

• Automatic Updates (default behaviour): HP Insights Agent software is typically updated every one to two months, delivering new features, performance improvements, security enhancements, and bug fixes.

  By default, it is set to be automatically updated. HP Insights Agent checks daily for updates and automatically installs the latest version to keep devices secure and current.

• Custom Updates Control: HP provides flexibility for IT administrators to manage HP Insights Agent software updates, there by enabling them to configure own ring deployment settings to manage the versions of HP Insights Agent that are deployed across device groups, in alignment with their own software deployment strategies.

Administrators can configure Custom Updates Control using the following three methods:

1. Microsoft Active Directory (AD) Group Policy (GPO) using ADMX/ADML files.

2. Batch file to configure registry keys.

3. Manual registry key updates.

For details, refer to the Setting Up Custom Updates Controls section below.

Release Expiration and Force-Update Opt-Out Option

Each version of the HP Insights Agent software is supported for up to nine months, after which it is considered expired to ensure optimal support and maintain security standards.

If custom updates are configured, updates occur only when the version settings are modified. However, if a deployed version reaches its nine-month expiration, HP provides a one-month grace period. After this grace period, HP enforces an update to the latest generic version (defined as the most recent release that is at least one month old). However, for organizations with strict compliance or internal policies that prohibit forced updates, HP offers a Force-Update Opt-Out option to prevent automatic updates, even after expiration.

Note: The Opt-Out control is disabled by default and is supported only from HP Insights version 5.25.78 onward.

Setting Up Custom Updates Controls

HP Insights Agent software consists of three components, each released independently to minimize the size of updates.

• HP Insights

• HP Insights Analytics

• HP Insights Plugin Package

Updates for these for the three HP Insights components is achieved through a policy, which consists of a group of Windows registry updates applied to the device. This software update policy governs the updates of HP Insights agent software and includes 5 key attributes. The following table outlines these attributes.

Customers can choose any of the following three methods to configure the 5 attributes below.

1. Set up a Microsoft Active Directory (AD) Group Policy (GPO) by using ADMX/ADML

2. Create a batch file to configure registry keys.

3. Update the registry keys manually.

Method A: Set up a Microsoft Active Directory (AD) Group Policy (GPO) by using ADMX/ADML

Step 1: Copying the ADML and ADMX files

1. Copy the sample ADML file provided by HP at https://workforceexperience.hp.com/software (Section: HP Insights -> HP insights Windows Application -> Download Policy File ) to  \{FQDN}\SYSVOL\{Domain_Name}\PolicyDefinitions\en-US\HPInsights_Version_Settings.adml

2. Copy the sample ADMX file provided by HP to \{FQDN}\SYSVOL\{Domain_Name}\PolicyDefinitions\HPInsights_Version_Settings.admx

If the ADML and ADMX files are not saved to the correct locations, then the policy will not appear in the Active Directory Group Policy Object (GPO).

Step 2: Creating a new group policy object (GPO)

1. On the server, launch Group Policy Management.

2. In the Group Policy Management dialog box, navigate to Group Policy Management > {forest name} > Domains -> {domain name} > Group Policy Objects.

3. Right-click on Group Policy Objects and select New.

4. In the New GPO dialog box, enter the following and click OK:

   1. Name: HPInsights-Version (or any name of choice)

   2. Source Starter GPO: (none)

Step 3: Associating the group policy object (GPO) to device groups

1. On the server, launch Group Policy Management.

2. In the Group Policy Management dialog box, go to Group Policy Management > {forest name} > Domains -> {domain name} > Group Policy Objects.

   1. Double-click the HPInsights-Version to open the GPO.

3. go to the Security Filtering section:

   1. Remove any User Groups by selecting the User Groups and clicking Remove.

   2. Click Add.

   3. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, click Object Types.

      1. In the Object Types dialog box, select only Computers and click OK.

      2. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, click Advanced.

      3. Click Find Now to search for all Device Groups and click OK.

      4. Repeat this step for all Device Groups as needed

   4. Click OK in the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box.

4. In the Group Policy Management dialog box, go to Group Policy Management > {forest name} > Domains -> {domain name}.

   1. Right-click on the {domain name} and select Link an Existing GPO from the dropdown.

   2. In the Select GPO dialog box, select the newly created Group Policy Object HPInsights-Version and click OK.

5. In the Group Policy Management dialog box, go to Group Policy Management > {forest name} > Domains -> {domain name} > Group Policy Objects, select and right-click the newly created GPO HPInsights-Version and click Edit.

   1. In the Group Policy Management Editor dialog box, go to Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the central store > HPInsights-Version (it is automatically retrieved from the ADML/ADMX files).

   2. In the right menu, double-click HP Insights Version Configuration.

      1. In the HP Insights Version Configuration dialog box enter the following:

         • Select Enabled

         • HP Insights version: 5.xx.xxx

         • HP Insights Analytics Client version: 4.x.xxxx.x

         • HP Insights Plugin Package version: 1.x.x.x

         • Use Strict Versioning: False (default) or True.

      2. Click OK.

         

   3. Close the Group Policy Management Editor.

6. In the Group Policy Management dialog box, go to Group Policy Management > {forest name} > Domains -> {domain name} > Group Policy Objects, select and right-click the newly created Group Policy Object HPInsights-Version and click Enforced.

Customers who leverage Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to deploy HP Insights Windows Applications can create a global condition and requirement.

Method B: Create a batch file to configure registry keys.

This method uses a .BAT file to manage automatic updates of HP Insights Windows Application.

Step 1: Create a batch file

1. Open Notepad.exe or any text editor.

2. Copy and paste the following into the body of the file:

   ::@echo off

   REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Hewlett-Packard\HPTechPulse\GPO\TechPulseVersionPolicy" /v IsVersionPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 200 /f

   REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Hewlett-Packard\HPTechPulse\GPO\TechPulseVersionPolicy" /v TechpulseVersion /t REG_SZ /d %1 /f

   REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Hewlett-Packard\HPTechPulse\GPO\TechPulseVersionPolicy" /v HPTAVersion /t REG_SZ /d %2 /f

   REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Hewlett-Packard\HPTechPulse\GPO\TechPulseVersionPolicy" /v PluginPackageVersion /t REG_SZ /d %3 /f

   REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Hewlett-Packard\HPTechPulse\GPO\TechPulseVersionPolicy" /v UseStrictVersioning /t REG_SZ /d %4 /f

3. Click File > Save As, then save the file as the versionsettings-ref-import.bat.

4. Save the versionsettings-ref-import.bat to a location accessible by all devices in the organization.

Step 2: Deploy the batch file

Customers can use a logon script or Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to deploy the batch file.

Logon script

Those who have deployed the HP Insights Windows Application on a device can distribute the batch file (versionsettings-ref-import.bat) as a logon script using the following syntax.

{Path}\versionsettings-ref-import.bat TechpulseVersion HPTAVersion PluginPackageVersion

Note: Version used below in example are just for illustration purpose. Recommendation is to use the most general release version from https://workforceexperience.hp.com/software.

{Path}\versionsettings-ref-import.bat 5.24.230 4.2.2364.0 1.0.1.0 False

For the beta release, use TechPulseVersion and HPTAVersion as 5.24.230 and 4.2.2364.0 respectively and additionally 1.0.1.0 for the plugin package. Use False to UseStrictVersioning

For devices where the HP Insights Windows Application is not yet deployed, you can combine the auto-update batch file (versionsettings-ref-import.bat) with the HP Insights Windows Application installation package into a single batch file using the following syntax.

{Path}\versionsettings-ref-import.bat TechpulseVersion HPTAVersion PluginPackageVersion && [Path]\Setup.exe /silent CPIN=[Company-PIN]

For example:

{Path}\versionsettings-ref-import.bat 5.24.230 4.2.2364.0 1.0.1.0 False && [Path]\Setup.exe /silent CPIN=[HP DaaS Company-PIN]

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

For devices that do not have the HP Insights Windows Application deployed, combine the auto-update batch file (versionsettings-ref-import.bat) and the HP Insights Windows Application installation package into a single application package in SCCM.

1. In SCCM, navigate to Applications and create an application package to deploy the HP Insights Windows Application (for example, HP Insights Application).

2. To add the batch file to the HP Application:

   1. Right-click the HP Insights Application, and click Properties.

   2. Click the Deployment Types tab.

   3. Select HP Application and click Edit.

   4. In the Installation Program field, add the command to run the batch file (versionsettings-ref-import.bat) using the following syntax. The command will run before the HP Insights Windows Application is installed.

{Path}\versionsettings-ref-import.bat TechpulseVersion HPTAVersion PluginPackageVersion && [Path]\Setup.exe /silent CPIN=[Company-PIN]

For example:

{Path}\versionsettings-ref-import.bat 5.24.230 4.2.2364.0 1.0.1.0 False && [Path]\Setup.exe /silent CPIN=[HP DaaS Company-PIN]

For the beta release, please use TechPulseVersion and HPTAVersion as 5.24.230 and 4.2.2364.0 respectively and additionally 1.0.1.0 for Plugin Package. Use False to UseStrictVersioning.

For additional assistance with an HP Insights company PIN, contact HP Proactive Management Managed Services.

Method C: Update the registry keys manually.

Use your preferred option to update the following registry keys.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Hewlett-Packard\HPTechPulse\GPO\TechPulseVersionPolicy

• REG_DWORD,IsVersionPolicy: 300

• REG_SZ, TechpluseVersion: 5.XX.XXX

• REG_SZ, HPTAVersion: 4.X.XXXX.X

• REG_SZ, PluginPackageVersion: 1.X.X.X

• REG_SZ, UseStrictVersioning: False or True

Version Selection Guidelines

All releases of HP Insights Windows Application are categorized as either:

• Latest Release: Only one release is classified as the latest release, which is the most current version. After one month, the Latest Release is classified as a General Release.

• General Release: All releases prior to the Latest Release are classified as General Releases. General Releases are supported up to nine months after the subsequent release.

HP recommends that customers who wish to disable auto updates and use custom update controls for the HP Insights Agent use the latest General Release.

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