Installing Collector

Install an endpoint agent on every device you want to connect to the Nexthink platform. To learn what each agent collects and how it works, see the Understanding Collector documentation.

Work through the following decisions in order. Together, they determine the right agent, installation method, and guide for your environment.

1

Choose your deployment scenario

You are choosing between two scenarios:

• Initial setup — you are configuring and installing endpoint agents for the first time. Continue with the decisions below.
• Updating an existing setup — you are modifying an existing installation. Follow the same guide and method you used for the initial setup, for example a manual reinstallation on Windows or a Jamf redeployment on macOS.

2

Identify your infrastructure scale

You are choosing between two scales, which determine how you install Collector:

• Small-scale setup — a few devices, proof-of-value scenarios, or unmanaged devices. Install Collector manually.
• Medium to large-scale setup — managed environments with hundreds or thousands of devices. Deploy Collector automatically with tools such as Microsoft Intune or Jamf.

3

Identify your infrastructure type

You are choosing the environment your devices connect to, which determines the agent you install:

• Non-virtual — all devices connect to a non-virtual environment. Install Nexthink Collector on the devices.
• Virtual (VDI) — devices connect to virtual machines. Every device that connects to a VDI environment needs the VDI Client Extension:

  • Company-managed devices receive it automatically as a component of Nexthink Collector. Install Nexthink Collector on the devices and VMs.
  • Personal or self-managed devices running Microsoft Windows install it as a standalone, lightweight agent. See the Installing Nexthink VDI Client Extension documentation.
• Hybrid — some devices connect to a non-virtual environment and others to virtual machines. Install Nexthink Collector on the devices and VMs.

4

Choose your operating system

You are choosing the operating system running on your devices. Open the guide that matches it:

• Windows — see the Installing Collector on Windows documentation.
• macOS — see the Installing Collector on macOS documentation.

If your infrastructure includes both Windows and macOS devices, follow each guide that applies.

Deployment reference table

Use the table below for a quick reference to find the applicable documentation for your deployment use case.

Your environment	Install	Read
Windows physical or non-virtual devices	Nexthink Collector	Installing Collector on Windows
macOS devices	Nexthink Collector	Installing Collector on macOS
VDI — company-managed devices	Nexthink Collector (the VDI Client Extension is bundled in, with no separate installation)	Installing Collector on Windows
VDI — personal or self-managed devices	VDI Client Extension (standalone lightweight agent)	Installing Nexthink VDI Client Extension