PDQ Deploy / Inventory Question - Collections based on Active Directory OU's
Suppose I need to install a 32 bit version of an app to 32 bit machines and a 64 bit version of an app to 64 bit machines. Additionally, I want to limit the deployment to the machines in specific OU’s. What would be the best approach for creating some time of dynamic collection? I was thinking I’d have to use PDQ Inventory to create a dynamic collection of machines from specific OUs and then grab 32 bit or 64 bit OS versions from there. Am I sort of on the right track? How best to create a 32/64 bit query?
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OK, here is how you can get what you're looking for. The attached file is a collection tree that you can import into your environment. You'll obviously need to change the AD Paths to match your infrastructure but the point will get across.
Here is a screen-shot of the Collection hierarchy (with reference to my example AD environment)
My Collections are broken down like this:
Computers Main Campus/GoBias Building/<computername>
My first Collection simply has a filter that says show me all Computers under "Computers Main Campus"
The first Sub Collection is called GoBias Building. This filter has the Filter where the AD Path STARTS WITH "Computers Main Campus/GoBias Building"
The second Sub Collection is called GoBias Building 64-Bit Systems. Its applies an Operating System filter where the value "64-bit" IS TRUE. Note that I am also saying "Drill down from parent collection in this one. This means that Any computer in the parent collection (GoBias Building) is going to be evaluated. I could have removed that check box and just added a second filter for Active Directory Path that Contains "/GoBias Building" and it would achieve the same result. If you look at the collections I have attached you will see that the Collections for ISIS Building do this (as opposed to the drill down). See image below:
I could have just showed ONE way to do this but I want to convey that there are usually multiple ways to achieve your results and you should play with them and figure out which one works for you.
The attached file is an XML file that you can Import into your PDQ Inventory environment. This is an example of how you can structure your Collections to achieve your desired result.