Here comes the 1E Client.

Delivering solutions that manage or extend management of endpoints is often very difficult to achieve without implementing an agent.
As organizations require more comprehensive endpoint and security management, they face an increase in the number of agents that need to be implemented on endpoints to deliver the required level of management. Over the last 20 years, 1E has delivered agents for power management with a solution called NightWatchman. We have also developed Wake-on-LAN (1E WakeUp), along with peer-to-peer content distribution in a tool called Nomad. Our peer-based network booting is called PXE Everywhere. We also have a self-service software deployment tool called Shopping. And lastly, of course, is our and real-time detection and remediation called Tachyon.

We wanted to reduce the number of agents that our customers need to install and manage. So, we brought these agents together into a single, modular client. This is where administrators can deploy then enable modules as required.

The journey started with combining first the Shopping agent then the WakeUp agent into the Tachyon agent. Customers that have already installed or upgraded to Shopping 5.5 or NightWatchman 7.2.500 will already be using this first iteration of the single client, released as the Tachyon Agent version 3.2 (incorporating the Shopping agent) and 3.3 (incorporating the WakeUp agent).

We are now pleased to announce the release of the second iteration of the single agent, now simply named 1E Client.

The 1E Client introduces Nomad 7.0 as a module in addition to the Shopping, WakeUp and Tachyon functionality previously incorporated. The 1E Client also brings with it the Tachyon 4.1 client. You can deploy the 1E Client and enable the modules you have purchased (according to the entitlement granted by your license agreement) in a single step. As you adopt new products from 1E, you no longer need to deploy additional agents. You can simply enable the corresponding modules in the 1E Client that is already installed on your endpoints.

The 1E Client Deployment Assistant

The 1E Client Deployment Assistant (previously known as the Endpoint Agent Installation Solution Accelerator) is a wizard that gathers details of the client modules you want to enable and specifically configure. It then generates a Windows Installer Transform (.mst) that applies the configuration options selected in the wizard, then creates an Application and/or Package, Collection and Deployment in Configuration Manager to install the 1E Client using the transform to apply the initial configuration. To deploy the 1E Client, simply add devices into the Collection created by the Client Deployment Assistant. Refer to the 1E Client Deployment Assistant online documentation for more details.

For new customers

New customers adopting Nomad, Tachyon, WakeUp or Shopping for the first time will deploy the 1E Client to their endpoints, enabling and configuring the required modules during installation. We recommend using the 1E Client Deployment Assistant to simplify deployment and initial configuration of the 1E Client. Customers implementing the 1E Windows Servicing Suite can simplify the process further using the Windows Servicing Suite Installer. The Windows Servicing Suite Installer 3.2 is a wizard that coordinates the installation and configuration of the Windows Servicing Suite server components and incorporates the 1E Client Deployment Assistant to automate the deployment of the 1E Client.

For existing customers

Existing customers need to consider the 1E Client in the following scenarios.
1. You have one or more of the Shopping, WakeUp, Nomad or Tachyon agents installed today and you want to upgrade to the latest version. The latest versions of the client components of all these products are implemented in the single 1E Client
2. You have one or more of the Shopping, WakeUp, Nomad or Tachyon agents installed today and want to extend your current endpoint management capabilities by introducing one or more of these products into your environment.

Upgrading to Nomad 7.0

To upgrade Nomad 6.3 clients to Nomad 7.0, you install the 1E Client with the Nomad module enabled. (Refer to the Nomad documentation for details on how to do this.) We recommend using the 1E Client Deployment Assistant to simplify deployment and initial configuration of the 1E Client. The 1E Client will remove Nomad 6.3 and migrate your current Nomad settings. The NomadBranch service will continue to run as a separate service that can be stopped and started independently. Nomad 7.0 continues to use the same registry values to configure the various Nomad features and settings. We recommend using Configuration Manager Configuration Baselines to manage Nomad settings after installation. If you are currently using Configuration Baselines to manage Nomad 6.3 settings, you can continue to use these after upgrading to Nomad 7.0.

If the Tachyon Agent is installed on the endpoint when the 1E Client is deployed, it will be upgraded to Tachyon client 4.1.

While the 1E Client is backward compatible with the Tachyon Platform 3.3 and 4.0, we recommend upgrading the Tachyon Platform to 4.1 before upgrading to 1E Client. Note that Tachyon Platform is not required to upgrade to Nomad 7.0. However, you get additional features such as real-time control over content delivery (Content Pause). You'll also see other real-time capabilities included in the Nomad Product Pack if you do implement Tachyon Platform.
If you previously deployed the Tachyon Agent with the Shopping or WakeUp module, ensure they are explicitly enabled with the appropriate configuration when installing the 1E Client. If you are still using Shopping 5.4 that uses the legacy Shopping agent, or a version of WakeUp older than 7.2.500 that uses the legacy WakeUp agent, you should not enable the Shopping or WakeUp modules when installing the 1E Client to upgrade Nomad.
In this scenario, when you are ready to upgrade Shopping or WakeUp, you can upgrade the back end then enable the corresponding modules in the previously deployed 1E Client. However, we recommend you consider planning to upgrade all the products to the latest version so you can take advantage of the single 1E Client and reduce the number of agents currently installed on your endpoints.

Upgrading to Tachyon 4.1

To upgrade Tachyon clients to version 4.1, you install the 1E Client with Tachyon enabled along with your required configuration settings. Refer to the online Tachyon documentation for details on how to do this. We recommend using the 1E Client Deployment Assistant to simplify deployment and initial configuration of the 1E Client. The 1E Client will upgrade your existing Tachyon Agent to the 1E Client that incorporates the Tachyon 4.1 client. Your existing Tachyon settings will be migrated when the 1E Client is installed.
If you want to upgrade Tachyon but aren’t ready to upgrade Nomad just yet, you can deploy the 1E Client with just the Tachyon configuration (i.e. do not enable the Nomad module). In this scenario, Tachyon will be upgraded but Nomad 6.3 will remain installed. It will continue to function until the Nomad module is enabled in the 1E Client.

If you previously deployed the Tachyon Agent with the Shopping module (to support Shopping 5.5) or the WakeUp module (to support WakeUp 7.2.500), ensure these modules are explicitly enabled with the appropriate configuration when installing the 1E Client.

If you are still using Shopping 5.4 that uses the legacy Shopping agent, or a version of WakeUp older than 7.2.500 that uses the legacy WakeUp agent, you should not enable the Shopping or WakeUp modules when initially installing the 1E Client to upgrade Tachyon.
In this scenario, when you are ready to upgrade, you can upgrade the back end first. Then you will enable the corresponding modules in the previously deployed 1E Client. However, we recommend you consider planning to upgrade all the products to the latest version first. This way you can take advantage of the single 1E Client and reduce the number of the current agents.

Adding new capabilities from the 1E portfolio

Once you have deployed the 1E Client, it becomes much easier to adopt new 1E capabilities. You can simply enable and configure the existing 1E Client. You would previously have to deploy additional agents. Of particular interest to many of our customers are the real-time remediation solutions implemented through the 1E Tachyon Platform.
These include Guaranteed State and Patch Success.
There are also a growing number of scenario-based Product Packs available. Product Packs are full of instructions that can be executed on all endpoints in real-time. They are used to gain visibility and remediate common issues. If you are not already using Tachyon but have deployed the 1E Client for other capabilities, you only need to purchase Tachyon and stand up the Tachyon Platform to start using these features.

Modules can be enabled after installation using a command-line that can be executed through your preferred systems management tool.

The Nomad and WakeUp modules also require some configuration in the registry when they are enabled. To simplify this process for customers with Configuration Manager, we have created template Configuration Items. These enable and configure each of the modules in the Tachyon client settings. These can be imported into Configuration Manager. Then they are modified to reflect your required configuration then deployed to clients through a Configuration Baseline.
We will soon be starting work on the centralized, real-time configuration of the 1E Client through the Tachyon platform. This will give administrators a simple interface to centrally manage all the 1E Client modules and settings.

Summary

The 1E Client enables 1E customers today to reduce the number of agents they need to deploy and manage. Currently, Tachyon, Shopping, WakeUp, and Nomad agents have been converged into the 1E Client. We are considering including the NightWatchman and PXE Everywhere agents over the next 6-12 months. This will provide complete coverage in a single, modular, and easy-to-manage client.
It also makes it much easier to adopt new capabilities (within the terms of your license agreement) as the 1E Client has already been deployed.