Agent Setup and Testing

Overview

This article reviews the setup and testing of an Agent; setup requires adding and registering an Agent, installing it to a machine, and implementing it into the environment. Protocol Agents are directly affiliated with network security and other aspects. Please review Introduction To Agents ahead of setup.

Example

1. When registering an Agent, the Decisions instance Portal Base URL cannot be localhost.
   Non-Admin/Designer Users

   Non-admin and non-Designer users should have, at minimum, "Can Use" permissions enabled on the Designer Element in order to use Flows that function with Agents.
2. In the Designer Folders, begin by navigating to the Folder System > Designers > Agents and select Add/Register Agent.

   

3. Name the Agent and select the Register Agent.

   

4. Next, from the client machine, log back into Decisions. 
5. Navigate to the Agent Folder, find it to the right of the studio, and select Download Agent from the Action Menu.

   

6. After the Agent is downloaded, open and install the Agent.

   

7. The Agent installs and creates the Decisions Management Agent Local Service.

   

8. After the Agent is downloaded and installed, locate the machine services and start the Agent service called Decisions Management Agent.

   

9. After an Agent has been registered and downloaded, select the Agent Folder to view the Agent dashboard. 
10. The dashboard includes all deployed Agents and Recent Agent Actions. 
11. An Unknown Client Entity shows that the client is not identified yet.

    

12. Navigate out of the client machine and back to the Decisions Server. 
13. Locate the Agent Folder and select the Registered Agent to view the dashboard. 
14. If the Entity state is complete, this means that the client has been identified by the Decisions Server and is ready for communication.

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    Testing the Registered Agent

    1. View Last Status, navigate to Deployed Agents and right-click on the Entity Name. 
    2. Select View the Last Status from the Actions Menu, 
    3. Select Ping Agent to ping the client and see if it is still available. 
    4. The Ping message will be displayed under Recent Agent Actions. 
    5. Refresh Recent Agent Actions and then right-click and select View Results.

       

    6. Refresh the Recent Agent Actions.
    7. Notice a Ping Agent instruction can be viewed. 
    8. Right-click and select View Results.

       

    9. In Recent Agent Actions, notice a Ping Agent instruction can be viewed. 
    10. Right-click and select View Results.

        

    11. An instruction will display on a box with details about the Ping results.

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    Uninstalling and Removing an Agent 

    In the event that a user needs to remove an Agent, or the Agent needs to be updated and replaced with a new version, Agents in Decisions can be uninstalled from the File System.
    
    To do so:

    1.  From the File System, open to Control Panel.
    2. From the Control Panel, under Programs, select Uninstall a Program.
    3.  From the Programs and Features window, locate Decisions Management Agent Bootstrapper, select it, then click Uninstall.
    4. Confirm the Uninstall by selecting Yes.
    5. Confirm that the Agent has been uninstalled by navigating to System > Designers > Agents in the Decisions Studio.