Non admin user - apple firmware updates via Munki

[Chris @ FACT]

Hi people,

How do you folks handle Apple firmware updates via Munki for non-admin users? I am using Munki with a local repo and for checking Apple Software Updates because I like the fact that it negates the need for local admin rights, but this comes unstuck when there are firmware updates required for a machine.

Is there a way to allow these to install without admin rights? Or is there a workaround other than me typing in the admin username/password to allow these updates to install?

Thanks
Chris

[scottlep]

Funny, I was going to post this same question yesterday after Apple released the latest Firmware updates. Looking forward to some of the responses.

~Scott

[Hannes Juutilainen]

Which firmware update are you dealing with?

This is especially a problem with the older firmware updates where the installer package just installs a separate application that is launched after the software update run. I don't know any way around this but it seems that the newer firmware updates are easier to deploy.

You really should be running your own Apple software update server for your clients. This way you are in control of what the clients see and you have a way to test updates before deploying them. This can be done with Mac OS X Server or Reposado. I've been handling this firmware update issue by keeping all the firmware updates in their own Reposado branch which effectively blocks them from munki. Support personnel are handling the firmware updates case by case when needed.

--
Hannes Juutilainen

[scottlep]

Right now, we have have all Firmware updates blocked since we are running our own ASU Server. We also have our support staff apply the updates when necessary or when machines are first deployed. When we first started using Munki I had allowed some of the Firmware updates on our ASU Server but they got stuck in an infinite loop since the user could not install them without the admin password since the FW updates ran as a separate installer after download. 

~Scott

On Thursday, July 19, 2012 7:15:32 AM UTC-4, Chris @ FACT wrote:

[Chris @ FACT]

Thanks this is useful. I am talking older firmware updates - all our machines are old :( - and I am seeing the endless loop problem because the firmware update never runs so people are stuck with Munki never updating.

I removed our Software Update Server, but actually it is killing our bandwidth having all machines do their own updates from Apple so I may reinstate it as it will give me a good solution to this problem. Think I will look at Reposado too since I could put that on Linux box.

Thanks for the info. Any more ideas and experiences gratefully received.