Autopkg, Munki & You: Automating 3rd party application updates.

Speakers: Damon Vogel

Level: Fundamental, Lecture

Excerpt: The presentation will explain how to setup a workflow that can download 3rd party applications for inspection or for automatic deployment. This open-source workflow starts with AutoPkg to download 3rd-party applications and load them into Munki which can either stage them or deploy them. Staging updates will allow inspection in a test environment to confirm that they function as expected. Finally, the workflow uses configuration files to update applications weekly from Munki on the local machine. The presentation will also cover using MunkiAdmin to configure and oversee the workflow along with the various ways to customize the workflow.

Description: The presentation will explain how to setup a workflow that can download 3rd party applications for inspection or for automatic deployment. This totally open-source workflow starts with the open source program AutoPkg set up to download 3rd-party applications on a regular basis. Next, we will cover the setup and configuration of Munki as an application server where the downloaded applications can be deployed to either a testing environment or a production environment. Deploying updates into a testing environment will allow inspection to confirm that they function as expected. Finally, there will be discussion of the various methods to create configuration files to update or install applications on the local machine. It will also cover using MunkiAdmin to configure, customize and oversee the workflow as well any other helper programs I have used along the way.


About the speakers

Damon Vogel – Professional Assistant II – Suffolk County Community College

I’m a 10-yr admin at Suffolk County Community College in Riverhead NY. I’m a Apple Certified Macintosh Technician, and a Professor in the Graphic Design Department. I support the Graphic Design, Computer Art, Interior Design, and Photography Departments.

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