Managing Application Management Groups

Group software distribution tasks and client computers for faster deployment, especially in large networks.

Most software deployments are controlled by console operators. Operators choose which software to deploy to different computers or groups of computers. Operators can also choose whether to have the software installed as a mandatory action or to comply to a policy.

BigFix has a mechanism called Offers to handle self-provisioning of software. Some software can be made optionally available to endpoint users who can choose to install the software from the following options:

To simplify the distribution of software offers and actions, group the tasks and endpoints into different Application Management Groups. Application Management Groups are collections of tasks that can be organized into groups of content and delivered to targeted groups of client computers. These tasks are viewed by BigFix clients as offers, policy actions, or mandatory actions. For more information about where to deploy offers, see Manage Application Management Groups dashboard.

User permissions

Application Management Group access level is determined at the time of its creation and cannot be altered.

Master Operator

If the Application Management Group is owned by a master operator, then the Application Management Group is fully accessible to all master operators.

A master operator-controlled Application Management Group has the following properties:
  • All master operators can edit, delete, deploy, or stop the Application Management Group.
  • Non-master operators can view and copy the Application Management Group.
  • All users can make a copy of the Application Management Group.
  • If the owner of the Application Management Group is demoted from a master operator to a non-master operator, the owner loses access to the Application Management Group.

Non-master Operator

If the Application Management Group is owned by a non-master operator, then the Application Management Group is fully accessible only by the owner.

An owner-controlled Application Management Group has the following properties:
  • Only the owner can edit, delete, deploy, or stop the Application Management Group. You can set to allow all console operators to edit the Application Management Group. See Settings.
  • Master operators can only stop the Application Management Group that is owned by a non-master operator.
  • All users can make a copy of the Application Management Group.
  • If the owner of the Application Management Group is promoted from a non-master operator to a master operator, the owner gains full access. Other master operators can only stop or delete the Application Management Group that is now owned by a master operator.

Settings

To allow all console operators to edit the Application Management Group, click Settings.
Figure 1: Settings button

Settings button
Then, select Allow all operators to edit Application Management Groups.
Figure 2: Edit Application Management Groups setting

Edit Application Management Groups setting