Netmaker Desktop - Intune Deployment Guide

This guide walks you through deploying Netmaker Desktop to Windows devices using Microsoft Intune, including automatic configuration and startup.

📦 Overview

This deployment will:

• Install Netmaker Desktop silently

• Configure the client with your Netmaker server

• Ensure Netmaker starts automatically on user login

• Launch the app immediately after installation

---

🧾 Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure:

• You have access to Microsoft Intune

• You have the Netmaker Desktop installer:

  netmaker-desktop-installer.exe

• You know your Netmaker server address:

  https://api.domain

---

⚙️ Step 1 - Prepare Deployment Package

Create a folder with:

netmaker-intune-package/

├── netmaker-desktop-installer.exe

├── install.ps1

---

📝 Step 2 - Configure Installation Script

Create a file named:

install.ps1

Paste the script below and replace your server domain:

"server": "api.domain" # <<< REPLACE THIS

$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

# -------------------------------
# Logging Helpers
# -------------------------------
function Log-Info {
    param([string]$msg)
    Write-Output "[INFO] $msg"
}

function Log-Error {
    param([string]$msg)
    Write-Output "[ERROR] $msg"
}

function Log-Success {
    param([string]$msg)
    Write-Output "[SUCCESS] $msg"
}

# -------------------------------
# Paths
# -------------------------------
$FolderPath = "C:\Users\Public\netmaker-rac"
$FilePath   = "$FolderPath\ctx.json"
$ExePath    = ".\netmaker-desktop-installer.exe"
$AppPath    = "C:\Program Files\Netmaker Desktop\netmaker-desktop.exe"
$TaskName   = "NetmakerDesktopStartup"

# -------------------------------
# JSON content
# -------------------------------
$JsonContent = @'
{
  "server": "server.domain"
}
'@

try {

    # -------------------------------
    # Create folder
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Creating config directory..."
    if (!(Test-Path $FolderPath)) {
        New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $FolderPath -Force | Out-Null
    }

    # -------------------------------
    # Write JSON
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Writing ctx.json..."
    $JsonContent | Set-Content -Path $FilePath -Encoding ASCII -Force

    # Validate JSON
    Log-Info "Validating configuration..."
    Get-Content $FilePath | ConvertFrom-Json | Out-Null

    # -------------------------------
    # Verify installer
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Checking installer..."
    if (!(Test-Path $ExePath)) {
        Log-Error "Installer EXE not found"
        exit 1
    }

    # -------------------------------
    # Install
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Installing Netmaker Desktop..."
    Start-Process $ExePath -ArgumentList "/quiet /norestart" -Wait

    # -------------------------------
    # Verify install
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Verifying installation..."
    if (!(Test-Path $AppPath)) {
        Log-Error "Netmaker executable not found after installation"
        exit 1
    }

    # -------------------------------
    # Scheduled Task
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Configuring startup task..."

    if (schtasks /Query /TN $TaskName 2>$null) {
        schtasks /Delete /TN $TaskName /F | Out-Null
    }

    schtasks /Create `
        /TN $TaskName `
        /TR "`"$AppPath`"" `
        /SC ONLOGON `
        /RL HIGHEST `
        /F | Out-Null

    # -------------------------------
    # Launch app
    # -------------------------------
    Log-Info "Launching Netmaker Desktop..."
    Start-Process -FilePath $AppPath

    Log-Success "Installation completed successfully"
    exit 0

}
catch {
    Log-Error $_.Exception.Message
    exit 1
}

---

🔧 What the script does

• Creates config file:

  C:\Users\Public\netmaker-rac\ctx.json

• Installs Netmaker silently

• Verifies installation

• Creates startup task

• Launches Netmaker

---

📁 Step 3 - Package for Intune

Use Microsoft Win32 packaging tool:

IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c <folder> -s install.ps1 -o <output-folder>

This generates:

netmaker.intunewin

---

☁️ Step 4 - Upload to Intune

In Intune:

Apps → Windows → Add → Win32 app

Upload:

netmaker.intunewin

---

⚙️ Step 5 - Configure App Settings

🔹 Install command

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install.ps1

🔹 Uninstall command (optional)

"C:\Program Files\Netmaker Desktop\uninstall.exe" /quiet

---

🖥️ Step 6 - Detection Rule

Set detection rule:

File exists:

C:\Program Files\Netmaker Desktop\netmaker-desktop.exe

---

👥 Step 7 - Assign to Users/Devices

• Assign to:

  • Device group OR

  • User group

Recommended:

👉 Assign to Devices for consistency

---

🔄 Step 8 - Deployment Behavior

Set:

• Install behavior: System

• Logon requirement: Whether or not user is logged in

• Device restart: No specific action

---

🔁 Step 9 - Verify Deployment

After deployment:

✅ Check installation

C:\Program Files\Netmaker Desktop\netmaker-desktop.exe

✅ Check config file

C:\Users\Public\netmaker-rac\ctx.json

✅ Check scheduled task

schtasks /Query /TN NetmakerDesktopStartup

---

🚀 What happens on user machine

• Netmaker installs silently

• Config is applied automatically

• App starts immediately

• App launches on every login

---

⚠️ Troubleshooting

❌ Installer not found

• Ensure EXE is packaged with script

---

❌ App not launching

• Check scheduled task:

schtasks /Query /TN NetmakerDesktopStartup

---

❌ JSON config invalid

• Verify:

{

"server": "your-domain"

}

---

❌ App not detected by Intune

• Confirm detection path:

C:\Program Files\Netmaker Desktop\netmaker-desktop.exe

---

🔐 Security Notes

• Script runs with elevated privileges

• Configuration stored in:

  C:\Users\Public\

• Ensure server domain is correct and trusted