How to deploy zimbra Desktop by using GPO

[M@nu]

Hello,

I need your expertise in order to deploying Zimbra Desktop v7 using GPO.

What are the best practise to accomplish this ?
Can I customize Zimbra Desktop like :

Changing the logo
Setting a default server
Setting default mail address


Thank you for your help!

Have a good day.

[LHammonds]

I'm currently looking into the very same thing! I want to rollout ZD to 200 workstations but I cannot even get the base package to install. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Once I can get the base package to install (which is 90% of the work I'd like to automate), I then want to see how to go about deploying a customized version just like you mentioned...being able to set defaults to match our site. The less a user has to type during config, the better!

I have a Windows 2003 Active Directory domain with Windows XP and Windows 7 PCs.

Related Articles:

• How to use Group Policy to remotely install software
• Deploying a MSI through GPO
• MakeMSI and MSIDiff may be helpful for MSI customization
• Zimbra Desktop End-User Guide

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EDIT: I will document here how I tried to deploy Zimbra Desktop 7.1.2 in my Win2003 domain.

1. Copied MSI to publicly accessible share: \\servername\share\Internet\Email\Zimbra\zdesktop_ 7_1_2_ga_b10978_win32.msi
2. NOTE: "Authenticated Users" must be given permission at the share-level and file-level in order for assigned computers to access it.
3. Logon to console of the domain controller and open Active Directory Users and Computers
4. Create a new group under your domain called "Workstations"
5. Right-click on Workstations and select Properties
6. Click the Group Policy tab, click New and type "Zimbra" for the name
7. With Zimbra GPO selected, click the Edit button
8. Expand Computer Configuration --> Software Settings --> Software installation
9. Right-click on Software installation and select New --> Package
10. Browse to the share/file noted in step #1 and click Open
11. Select deployment method - Click Assigned, then OK
12. You will see "Zimbra Desktop 2.0" eventually show up. Once you do, close group policy editor
13. Add a Global Security Group under "Workstations" called "ZimbraInstallBase"
14. Edit "ZimbraInstallBase" and add the name of a computer you want Zimbra installed to under the Members tab

It is at this point that nothing happens. I reboot the machine, login, logoff, login again...nothing.

EDIT: I found out that you cannot use groups to apply GPO to computers...the computers must be moved into the Organizational Unit. Therefore, I will be organizing my domain structure as follows:

--Computers (this is the default folder where PC/servers will show up once joined to the domain)
--Machines
  |--Workstations
    |--Windows 2000
    |--Windows XP
    |--Windows Vista
    |--Windows 7
  |--Servers
    |--Windows 2000
    |--Windows 2003
    |--Windows 2008

I will then move everything in the "Computers" folder into the corresponding Organizational Unit that they belong to.

LHammonds

[M@nu]

Hello, thank you for your reply.

I investiguated the install process and I found several thing :

- zDesktop create a folder in Appdate\local\Zimbra during the initializing.

- When you create a new account, a file with extension .sqlite is create with a table content :
- hostname
- mail address
- ssl turn on/off

I think that we can try that, but it's a tummy...

We need to vote for the RFE