Prestage Windows BigFix Installer

Learn how to prestage and deploy the latest version of the BigFix agent for Windows on the MDM Server.

If the Windows BigFix installer package is prestaged on the MDM server, after for Windows endpoints are enrolled to MDM, you can also deploy the BigFix agent on enrolled devices.

Before you begin: Before prestaging, you must create a custom MSI package. This is because, for installing the BES server installation on Windows, the installer copies a BigFix agent in to the BigFix Enterprise\BES Installers\ClientMSI folder, but without a masthead (configuration profile for the BigFix agent). After a general BigFix installation, you can find the base MSI on the BigFix server. You must customize this MSI package by including the site masthead, and if required, set the Authenticating Relay information insider the installer to deploy the BigFix agent through WebUI.

A. Prepare custom BigFix agent MSI package

To prepare a custom BigFix agent MSI package, complete the following steps:
  1. Locate the BigFix agent .msi file that is installed with the server component. (By default, it is in BES Installers\ClientMSI\BigFixAgent.msi).
  2. Copy the masthead.afxm file and the BigFixAgent.msi file into a new folder on a Windows machine to add the masthead to the BigFixAgent.msi file.
  3. Run the BESClientSetupMSI.exe command and follow the instructions from the installer to add the masthead.
  4. Optionally add authenticating relay command details if you have an authenticating relay BESClientSetupMSI.exe /secureregistration <RELAY_PASSWORD> /relayserver1 http://<RELAY_HOST>:52311/bfmirror/downloads/ <TARGET_MSI> to the BigFixAgent.msi file.

    Result: Customized BigFixAgent.msi file ready to be prestaged becomes available on the Windows machine at the folder you have selected.

B. Prestage BigFix installer for Windows

To pre-stage Bigfix installer for Windows 10 and Windows 11, complete the following steps:

  1. From the WebUI main page, click Apps > MCM.

  2. On the Modern Client Management page, click Admin > Prestage Installers > Windows BigFix Installer. The following page appears:

  3. Click Add File and select the prepared custom BigFixAgent.msi file from the Windows machine.

  4. Click Deploy.
Results: This action deploys the latest BigFix installer for Windows on all the available MDM servers. You can find the pre-staged BigFixAgent.msi file at /var/opt/BESUEM/packages on the MDM Server.
Note: It might take some time for the MDM server to recognize that an application has been prestaged. The analysis that populates available packages to install updates the information every 15 minutes.