Source

Description

Active Directory

Select Container to add all target computers within a container or select Computers to choose individual computers within a container.

PDQ Inventory

Select Collection to add all target computers within a collection or select Computers to choose individual computers within a collection.

Spiceworks

Select Group to add all target computers within a group or select Computers to choose individual computers within a group.

Target List

Select target computers using other PDQ Deploy Target Lists.

Text File

Select a text file containing a list of target computer names.

Option

Details

Credentials

The Deploy User credentials used by all deployments from the current deployment. For more information see Credentials in Options.

This is the username and password used to connect to the target computer and copy over the necessary files and start the target service. This user must have administrative rights on the target computer, which are needed to copy files to the ADMIN$ share and create and start the remote service. It can be a user account local to the target computer or a domain user if using Active Directory.

IMPORTANT: Use local accounts when deploying to external Agents (e.g. .\LocalAdmin). The Agent is unable to retrieve domain credentials while outside of the local area network.  You can utilize PDQ Inventory Scan User credentials to set the credentials to be used for each scan and deployment.

Use PDQ Inventory Scan User credentials first, where available

Allows PDQ Inventory's Scan User credentials to be used during the deployment. If selected, the PDQ Inventory Scan Users credentials will be used first. If no Inventory Scan User credentials exist for that target computer, the selected PDQ Deploy credentials will be used.

NOTE: Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) can be used by if the target computer's selected Scan User credentials are configured properly to use LAPS.

IMPORTANT: Enterprise mode is required in both PDQ Deploy and PDQ Inventory. If running in Client or Server mode, PDQ Inventory must also be in Client or Server mode.

Copy Mode

Defines how PDQ Deploy copies deployment files to targets (requires Enterprise mode). You can use the the Package Properties Copy Mode or override it here.

When files (such as installation files) are copied to a target, PDQ Deploy can use either Push or Pull Copy Mode. By default, PDQ Deploy uses Push Copy Mode.

VIDEO: PDQ Live! Understanding Push and Pull Deployments

(https://support.pdq.com/hc/en-us/articles/220538467)

Push

Copies files to the targets from the PDQ Deploy computer. This method is best if the package’s install files are located on the PDQ Deploy computer.

This option is the default copy mode.

Bandwidth throttling applies to all simultaneous file copies combined.

Pull

Sends lists of files to the targets which then pull the files from a centralized location. This method works best in WAN environments where the files may be on a file server closer to the targets than the computer where PDQ Deploy is running.

For this method to work, all files need to be accessible using a UNC path (e.g. \\server\share\installer.msi).

Bandwidth throttling is not enforced when using Pull Copy Mode.

WARNING: Files on fixed or mapped drives are not accessible to the target computers; therefore, a valid UNC path must be provided.

IMPORTANT: This setting is available only in Enterprise mode.

Scanning

Select whether or not PDQ Inventory scans target computers after a deployment to identify what is installed on each computer. If your deployment doesn't install an application, you may want to disable inventory scanning for the deployment.

IMPORTANT: This feature is available only in Enterprise mode and also requires PDQ Inventory in Enterprise mode. If you are running in Client Mode, PDQ Inventory must be installed on both the Client computer and the Server computer. Additionally, the target computer must already be in PDQ Inventory with a name or hostname that matches the name used in PDQ Deploy.

Set the Program Default in Preferences > Deployments or override the default here.

Scan after Deployment

Initiates an inventory scan from PDQ Inventory after the deployment to identify what is installed on each workstation.

Scan after Deployment attempts to scan target computers even if deployments fail.

This feature can be very helpful in maintaining up-to-date inventory for target machines. The target computers must already be in PDQ Inventory with names or hostnames that match the names used in PDQ Deploy.

You may choose which Scan Profile to use. The default Scan Profile is defined in PDQ Inventory in Preferences > Scan Profiles. You can choose to scan with any Scan Profile that has been configured in PDQ Inventory. It is common to use either the Applications or Standard scan profiles.

Do Not Scan

Does not scan target computers after deployment.

Run As

Determines how the current deployment is executed on target computers.

Note: The Run As settings at the Package level may be superseded by any explicit Run As settings at each Step level.

For a sample demonstration of the Run As options, see the following video.

VIDEO: Deployment Run As Options

(https://support.pdq.com/hc/en-us/articles/220538547)

Deploy User

Silently executes deployments on target computers.

This setting is appropriate for the vast majority of deployments.

Deploy User (Interactive)

Executes deployments that include both silent and interactive steps. This setting is the same as Deploy User with one important exception—the Windows process running the deployment is run in interactive mode.

This setting is most appropriately used for individual deployments that require user input, but the overall process still requires Administrator rights that logged on users may not have.

This type of deployment requires more processing resources.

IMPORTANT: This feature is available only in Enterprise mode.

Local System

Executes deployments using the local System account on the target computer. PDQ Deploy connects to the target computer, copies the specified files, then runs the actual deployment service using the Local System credentials.

This setting is used only for installations that require Local System. These types of deployments are very rare.

Logged on User

Attempts to run packages in Interactive mode as the Logged On User of the target machine.

This setting is used to deploy applications that are installed per user or when the logged on user needs to provide information for the deployment to succeed such as a license key. It can also be used to modify the HKEY-CURRENT-USER registry hive for the logged on user or to access user-specific settings such as %APPDATA% or the logged on user’s User directory.

IMPORTANT: This feature is available only in Enterprise mode.

Notifications

Sends an email notification when the deployment finishes. (Enterprise mode required.)

Select one of the two default deployment notifications, Full Details or Summary, or create a custom notification by clicking Edit Notifications. For more information about post deployment emails, see Receiving a Status Email After Deployment and Mail Server Preferences.

IMPORTANT: You must configure the Mail Server settings in Preferences as well as designate at least one email recipient in the selected Post Deployment Notification before you can enable this option.

Remember these targets for next time

Saves the list of targets to use the next time you start a deployment with Deploy Once.

Prioritize this deployment

This deployment will be prioritized above all others that are currently queued.

NOTE: Using this feature will allow the targets to exceed the Concurrent Targets per Deployment, but will not exceed the Total Concurrent Targets set in Preferences > Performance.

Option

Details

Offline Status

Offline Status settings determines whether target computers will receive a ping or Wake-on-LAN prior to deployment.

Use settings from Package

Uses the Offline Status settings defined at the Package level. For more information, see Creating a New Package, Step 1: Package Properties.

If you select this option but the Offline Status settings are not defined at the Package level, then PDQ Deploy uses the global Offline Status settings settings defined in Preferences.

When you select this option, the subsequent settings are disabled.

Ping before deployment

Performs a ping (ICMP echo) before attempting the deployment. If the target does not respond to the ping within 2 seconds, then the deployment is not attempted on that target. 

Enabling this option can increase the overall speed of the deployment because PDQ Deploy doesn’t waste time with offline target computers.

NOTE: Typically, the ping should take only a few milliseconds. However, if your DNS isn’t solid or your network is experiencing latency issues, then the ping response may take more than 2 seconds. 

When this is not selected, PDQ Deploy attempts the deployment regardless of the online or offline status of the target computer. If the target is offline or otherwise unavailable, then Windows will timeout after ~60 seconds. Leaving this unchecked can decrease the overall speed of the deployment.

Send Wake-on-LAN and attempt deployment

Attempts the deployment then sends a Wake-on-LAN to offline target computers. The deployment is attempted again if it comes online. After 5 minutes if the target computer is still offline, the deployment will be attempted again. 

The advantage of this feature is that offline target computers can immediately be made available for deployment. However, it can increase deployment time.

IMPORTANT: This feature is available only in Enterprise mode of both PDQ Deploy and PDQ Inventory. Furthermore, PDQ Inventory must have the MAC address of the target computers’ NICs.

Retry Queue

Retry Queue settings determine how PDQ Deploy handles deployments when the target computers are offline.

Use settings from Package

Uses the Retry Queue settings defined at the Package level. For more information, see Creating a New Package, Step 1: Package Properties.

If you select this option but Retry Queue settings are not defined at the Package level, then PDQ Deploy uses the global Retry Queue settings defined in Preferences.

When you select this option, the subsequent Retry Queue settings are disabled.

Put Offline Targets in Retry Queue

Enables the Retry Queue.

By default, target computers that are unreachable or offline during a deployment are held in the Retry Queue and deployment is retried.

Allowed Retries

Sets the number of retry attempts for an offline target computer. This applies per target per deployment.

The default setting is 72. To set unlimited retries, set this value to 0.