Nomad client requirements
Information that will help you design and plan the implementation of Nomad in your organization. This includes all the prerequisites and dependencies, which are necessary to install 1E Client with Nomad client enabled.
Tip
Nomad client features are not required if the 1E Client is being installed only to support Tachyon, Shopping, or WakeUp. However, Nomad can be used to help platform clients download content from the Background Channel and other sources. For more detail, please refer to Tachyon platform client integration with Nomad.
Nomad infrastructure dependencies
For a full understanding of Nomad features and their configuration, please refer to Introducing Nomad documentation.
In addition to deploying 1E Client (with Nomad client module enabled) on all computers and on Configuration Manager Distribution Points, the following are also required:
Nomad tools installed on Configuration Manager sites and SMS Providers
Nomad Configuration Manager Console extensions on Configuration Manager site servers, any other computer that has the Configuration Manager Console installed.
Nomad can be used for downloading content for platform clients, as well as Configuration Manager clients.
Downloading client content and Nomad integration
1E Client downloads content from the Tachyon Background Channel. Content is mainly scripts and other files required by instructions. It also includes client resources such as extensible modules, providers, and other dependencies to maintain the 1E Client. In most cases, client resources are version controlled to prevent repeated downloads. Tachyon instructions always request a download even if they have run an instruction before, unless the content for that instruction has been cached in memory.
You may need to consider the impact on the network if there is a large amount of content included in an instruction. This is more of an operational consideration instead of a design consideration.
Nomad is an optionally licensed component of the 1E Client. It makes software deployment, patching and downloading content more efficient and reduces the impact on the network. It removes the need for remote Distribution Point servers in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager systems. When Nomad is installed on computers, it automatically elects a peer to download content from a server over the WAN and then peer-shares the content with other PCs at the same location. The downloaded content is cached locally on each PC in case it is needed again.
Tachyon can optionally use Nomad to download content from servers irrespective of whether Nomad is integrated with Configuration Manager or not, and also uses advanced Nomad features.
Tachyon platform client integration with Nomad disabled
If Nomad integration is not used, the following applies:
Tachyon platform client waits a randomized stagger period defined by its DefaultStaggerRangeSeconds (refer to DEFAULTSTAGGERRANGESECONDS for details) setting, and then downloads content from the specified Background Channel.
Tachyon platform client retains modules and extensible that it has downloaded but does not retain instruction scripts after they have been run. Any instruction that requires a script or other file will download the latest version each time the instruction is run.
1E Client integration with Content Distributionenabled
Content Distribution integration is available on Windows PC devices and is enabled by default, but can be disabled during installation of the 1E Client.
With the Content Distribution integration feature enabled, 1E Client will detect if a supported version of Content Distribution is running on the device.
1E Client immediately requests Content Distribution to download content from the specified HTTP source, such as the Background Channel. Content Distribution behaves in the same way as it does with Configuration Manager by ensuring the latest version of content is obtained and electing a master to perform the actual download.
Content Distribution maintains its own cache of downloaded content which avoids the need for repeat downloads over the WAN, and provides content to peers that require the same resources which avoids peer devices having to download over the WAN.
If the Content Distribution integration feature is enabled, and requested content is not provided within the timeout period, the 1E Client will fall back to downloading directly from the HTTP source. The most likely reason for a timeout is if Content Distribution is busy downloading other content.
To use Content Distribution, there is no special configuration of Tachyon Servers unless you want to use server-based features provided by the Content Distribution and Content Distribution, which requires the reverse proxy feature to be configured on Background Channels.
The Background Channel is a web application on the Tachyon Server which uses HTTPS and default port is 443. The URL for the Background Channel is defined in the 1E Client configuration file and is specified during installation of the 1E Client if Tachyon features are enabled. The 1E Client passes this URL to Content Distribution when it requests content to be downloaded. Instructions can also specify other HTTP sources.
Content Distribution does not need to be configured to use certificates in order to communicate with the Background Channel (the Content Distribution CertIssuer and CertSubject settings are used only with Configuration Manager Distribution Points that are configured to validate device certificates).
The Nomad Single-Site Download (SSD) feature, which uses Content Distribution, further reduces the impact of downloading content over the WAN.
Firewall ports
Refer to Firewall ports.