Every organization prohibits employees from using certain software. Endpoint Central MSP helps prohibit, usage of certain software in accordance to your company policies. Detecting such prohibited software will help tackle compliance issues that might otherwise pop-up. Endpoint Central MSP provides an option to add the list of software that are prohibited in the company. You can also configure and receive notification through email and take the necessary action. The auto-uninstall feature allows you to automatically remove the software within a specified time frame, once it is detected in the client machine. However, you can also exempt certain computers from the auto-uninstallation routine.
You can simply add the list of software that is prohibited in the company to be detected during the regular scan cycles. Follow the steps given below to add a prohibited software to the list.
Click the Inventory tab to view the Inventory Summary
Click the Configure Prohibited Software link from the left pane available under Application Control. This will list the details of all the software that are already prohibited.
Click Add Prohibited Software. This is open the Add Prohibited Software dialog listing all the software detected in the managed computers. You should have scanned the Windows systems at least once to have the details of the software here.
After adding all the software, click Update. The software gets added to the prohibited list.
To remove prohibited software, select the software and click Remove Prohibited Software. You can select the software that you wish to remove from the prohibited list and click Remove Prohibited Software to eliminate the selected software from the prohibited software list.
Auto-Uninstall Policy helps you to automatically uninstall the detected prohibited software from the client machines. The uninstallation will happen during the subsequent refresh-cycle. Follow the steps given below to configure the Auto-Uninstall Policy:
Select the Auto-Uninstall Policy tab.
Select Enable Automatic Uninstallation check box.
Select Notify User before Uninstalling check box and specify any custom message in case you want to prompt to the user before the software uninstallation.
Note: The user will be notified with an Alert message during logon and whenever the agent detects prohibited software. This functionality will be applicable only if the Notify User Settings is configured.
Specify the wait-window for the software uninstallation. Say if you want to remove the software three days after it has been detected, then mention 3 in the text box provided.
Click on Save to save changes.
Auto-Uninstallation option is available by default for .msi applications and for .exe applications we would require Silent Switches. The following steps will guide you through the Auto-Uninstallation of .exe based software applications.
Select the Prohibited SW tab.
Click on Not Configured link under Uninstall command against the .exe application that needs to be uninstalled.
Add/Edit Uninstall Command window pops up
Choose Pre-fill Uninstall Command or I will specify myself
Pre-fill Uninstall Command - Selecting this option will fetch the uninstall command of the application from the Add/Remove programs and will be displayed here. Only the silent witch needs to be specified.
I will specify Myself - Uninstall command and the Silent switch should be entered manually. It is recommended to test the Uninstall command manually to verify its correctness.
Click Save to save the settings.
Verify the status in Auto Uninstallation Status Tab (This uninstallion will happen based on Auto-Uninstall Policy configured)
Under Auto Unistallation Status select Detailed View to see the status and remarks.
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You can choose to uninstall a software by configuring auto uninstall policy. However, this will not prevent users from installing a software/application. Once this software is installed, it will get uninstalled automatically. |
In certain occasions, you will need to allow the usage of prohibited software for certain users. One classic example is the usage of chat based applications. Many organizations will upfront prohibit such software. However top-level executives at these organizations might need such applications to communicate with clients, etc. Endpoint Central allows you to exempt Auto-Uninstallation on computers in these specific custom groups. You can create a custom group comprising specific computers or can add individual computers to the Exclude list. The following steps will help you exclude groups:
Click the Configure Prohibited Software link from the left pane available under Actions / Settings of Inventory tab. This will list the details of all the software that are already prohibited.
Select the checkbox corresponding to the specified software and click the link under Exclusions column. This opens the Add Exclusions dialog.
Select whether to exclude custom groups or computers.
Select the groups/computers and move it to the Excluded list.
This feature is supported only for customers, who use Endpoint Central version (10.0.192) or above.
From the agent tray icon, users can find the list of prohibited software in their network and choose to rise requests to use specific prohibited software based on their needs.
These requests can be handled from Desktop Central server -> inventory -> prohibit software -> user-requests.
If you have integrated Endpoint Central with ServiceDesk Plus (Version 9203 or above),
The requests to use prohibited software can be resolved only from ServiceDesk Plus console. Know how to resolve requests in ServiceDesk Plus here.
To associate the requests to use prohibited software to ServiceDesk Plus templates, from Endpoint Central navigate to admin tab -> under integration settings, ServiceDesk Plus -> Select the "Send requests for using Prohibited Software as tickets to ServiceDesk Plus for approval" option and provide the ServiceDesk Plus template name.
Once the technician approves the request, users will be allowed to install and use the requested software.
Similar to excluding computers and custom groups for individual software, you can create a global exclusion list of computers. Computers that are added to the Global Exclusion list, either manually or via custom groups, applies to all the software. This means all these computers can have any of the software that have been marked as prohibited.
To configure global exclusion, click the Configure Global Exclusion button and select the required computers/custom group of computers and save.