Today I was playing with automatic installation of VMware Tools by using Active Directory Group Policy and Security Groups on my Windows 2008 test environment.

What did I do to realize the automated installation:

- Create a Security Group in AD called: “SW_VMware Tools 64-Bit”

- Create in Group Policy Management a new GPO called “SW_VMware Tools 64-Bit”

- Computer Configuration > Software Settings > Software Installation> New > package

- Select from shared location (in my case: \\VMPROS-DC01\Software Deployment\ ) “VMware Tools64.msi”

- In the security tab: VMware Tools 64-Bit need read rights

-  Now you need to link to Security Group: SW_VMware Tools 64-Bit to the GPO, in the Group Policy Management: Security Filder > Add: “SW_VMware Tools 64-Bit”

- Settings on the GPO: enable Link Enabled + Enforced

- Add some (64-Bit) servers to the Security Group:

- Replicate the domain controllers with “Active Directory Sites and Services”

- Reboot or do “gpupdate /force” command, and VMware Tools 64 Bit will be installed:

VMware Tools are installed perfectly

Why do you want install VMware Tools with a GPO?

- Using customized VMware Tools for Terminal Servers;

- Update is faster because you need to replace one .msi file;

- Using multiple ESX 3 and 4 hosts in separate clusters connected to one domain;

- You can mix some VMware Tools Build numbers (not recommended but it’s possible);

- You don’t need to reboot directly, you can schedule this;

More information about the configured GPO klick here