CommandIT Agent Suite
1. Introduction
The CommandIT Agent Suite is the collection of software components installed on managed endpoints and designated network probe devices. It serves as the essential link between the client's IT environment and the central CommandIT platform. The agent suite enables device registration, secure communication, detailed inventory/configuration data collection using efficient delta synchronization, user presence tracking, real-time communication via WebSockets, retrieval of effective policies, basic task execution, and status reporting. It forms the foundation for CommandIT's RMM, security, ITSM, and future automation/security capabilities.
This document provides a high-level overview of the agent components and outlines the primary objectives and scope for the V1 release, which prioritizes deploying a stable agent infrastructure, establishing reliable synchronous and real-time communication, tracking presence, enabling basic script execution, and implementing comprehensive endpoint data collection via agent-side delta processing based on effective policies retrieved from the backend.
2. Target Platforms & Prerequisites (V1)
The V1 Agent Suite targets the following operating systems and architectures:
- Windows:
- Windows 7 SP1+ (x64)
- Windows 8 / 8.1 (x64)
- Windows 10+ (x64)
- Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1+ (x64)
- Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 (x64)
- Windows Server 2016+ (x64)
- Note: Requires TLS 1.2 (OS updates may be needed on Win7/2008R2). Agent verifies support.
- Note: Agent/UI requires WebView2 runtime. V1 installer must check and install if missing.
- macOS:
- macOS 12 Monterey+
- Architecture: Intel (x86_64) and Apple Silicon (arm64) supported via Universal Binaries.
3. Core Architecture Principles
The agent suite is built upon these key principles:
- Modularity: Functionality divided into distinct components (Service, Agent UI, Probe, Updater).
- Security: Secure communication (HTTPS/TLS 1.2+, Secure WebSockets), device authentication, signed updates.
- Efficiency: Minimal endpoint resource impact, agent-side delta comparison/upload for bandwidth optimization.
- Resilience: Handles intermittent connectivity, utilizes local data cache (SQLite implied).
- Self-Updating: Dedicated Updater component manages secure updates for the agent suite itself.
- Outbound Communication: All connections initiated outbound from agent components.
- Centralized Policy Resolution: The CommandIT backend calculates the final effective policy for a device based on hierarchy and tags; the agent requests and applies this resolved policy.
4. Agent Suite Components (Overview)
- 4.1 The CommandIT Service (Core Background Process):
- Primary engine running silently as SYSTEM/root. (Universal Binary on macOS).
- V1 Focus: Handles registration, authentication, heartbeats. Requests its effective policy set (resolved by the backend based on hierarchy/tags) and caches it locally. Performs V1 data collection tasks based on the effective policy. Executes basic script commands received via AgentCommandQueue. Reports data deltas and results via API. Manages communication and coordinates local components.
- 4.2 The CommandIT Agent UI (User Interface):
- Desktop application running as logged-in user (Tauri/WebView2). (Universal Binary on macOS).
- V1 Focus: Provides status visibility, relays notifications, reports user activity/presence to Service, provides primary chat interface (initiates WebSocket).
- 4.3 The CommandIT Probe (Network Services):
- Background service for future network-centric tasks. (Universal Binary on macOS).
- V1 Scope: Selectively installed/enabled on designated devices but remains functionally dormant.
- 4.4 The CommandIT Updater (Self-Update Mechanism):
- Dedicated background service (SYSTEM/root). (Universal Binary on macOS).
- V1 Focus: Securely manages updates exclusively for the CommandIT Agent suite components.
5. Component Interaction & Information Exchange
- The Service is the central endpoint hub, managing backend API communication (requesting effective policies, fetching commands, uploading deltas/results).
- The Agent UI interacts locally with the Service and connects directly to backend WebSockets.
- The Updater coordinates with the Service for agent suite updates.
- Data Flow: Commands and resolved effective policies flow down via HTTPS API upon agent request. Collected data deltas flow up via HTTPS API from Service. Real-time data (chat, presence signals) flows via WebSockets.
6. V1 Scope Summary
V1 establishes the agent infrastructure and focuses intensely on robust communication (API & WebSockets), reliable updates, presence tracking, and comprehensive endpoint data collection using agent-side delta synchronization, driven by effective policies resolved by the backend.
Key Deliverables & Functionality IN SCOPE for V1:
- Component Installation & Core Functionality: Reliable installation (including prerequisite checks like WebView2), registration, secure communication, self-update mechanism (Service, Agent UI, Updater). Probe optionally installed but dormant. Agent-side local cache setup.
- Secure Communication & Policy Acquisition: HTTPS/TLS 1.2+ API calls and Secure WebSocket (WSS) connections. Agent requests its final effective policies (for data collection, future monitoring/security) from a backend API endpoint; backend performs hierarchy/tag resolution. Agent caches received policy.
- User Presence/Activity Data Collection: Agent UI reports user activity/screen lock status to Service. Service updates relevant Users fields. UserSessions table populated by backend based on agent events. Basic Online/Offline status signaled via WebSocket connection state.
- Comprehensive Endpoint Data Collection (Policy-Driven, Agent-Side Deltas): Agent Service periodically scans data points as directed by its effective policy. Compares results locally, calculates deltas, uploads only changes. Includes: Hardware Inventory, OS & Configuration details, Software Inventory, Patch Status (OS reported), Network Configuration, Endpoint Security State (basic OS query), Network Share Inventory (read-only), specified Registry keys/values. Conditional collection for SQL/Exchange if agent is on server & policy dictates. Warranty data points collected. Backend handles ingestion/conflict resolution.
- Basic Script Execution Capability: Service executes Scripts via AgentCommandQueue, reports results.
- WebSocket Infrastructure: Backend and Client-side implementation for V1 chat and basic presence.
- Chat UI Foundation: Agent UI includes the primary interface for chat.
Explicitly DEFERRED Capabilities (Post-V1 Scope):
- Active Monitoring & Alerting Engine: Agent-side evaluation based on effective MonitoringPolicies / CompliancePolicies.
- Detailed Security & Event Logging: Populating StorageAccessLog, ApplicationExecutionLog, ElevationRequestLog, SecurityEventsLog based on effective EventLogMonitoringPolicies.
- Security Policy Enforcement: Agent actively enforcing ExecutionControlPolicies, StorageControlPolicies.
- Patch Management Actions: Agent orchestrating patching based on PatchPolicies.
- Full Automation Workflow Engine: Agent execution of complex Automations.
- Remote Control.
- Active Probe Functionality: Network Discovery, Agentless Monitoring, AD/Azure Sync via Probe.
- Vulnerability Scanning data collection/analysis.
- Advanced AI Features.
- Advanced Agent UI Functionality.
- Remote Wipe & Advanced Security Response Actions.
- Remote Tools Suite.
7. Script / Automation Execution Approach (V1)
V1 includes basic script execution handled by the agent Service via the AgentCommandQueue. The Service executes scripts using native OS interpreters and reports results. The full engine for complex Workflows is deferred Post-V1.