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Managed EDR Fast Start Rollout Guide

Melissa
  • Updated

Team: Huntress Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) 
Summary: This comprehensive guide walks you through the complete fast-start deployment lifecycle for Huntress Managed EDR, from identifying scope and triggering initial RMM deployment to validating coverage and testing containment capabilities.

In this Article

Before You Begin

This single-workflow guide is designed to take your environment from initial account setup to verified 24/7 security protection. Ensure you have administrator access to both your remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform and your Huntress account before starting.
 

Phase 1: Determine Scope and Trigger Deployment

To define your rollout footprint and begin automated agent installations, execute the following steps:

  1. Identify the critical endpoints to target in your initial rollout phase. Ensure you include the following assets:

    • Domain controllers

    • Infrastructure servers (file, application, and Remote Desktop Services configurations)

    • Corporate workstations and laptops

    • Active virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) pools

  2. Document any infrastructure explicitly excluded from this rollout phase to maintain clear visibility over non-monitored environments.

  3. Open your RMM interface or your preferred mobile device management (MDM) solution.

    Note: We highly recommend using an MDM solution when deploying the Huntress Agent for macOS.

  4. Create or select your standard Huntress deployment script within your centralized management tool.

  5. Assign the installation script to your targeted groups. Ensure it applies to:

    • Your all servers group

    • Your all workstations group

Phase 1 Result

Your RMM actively pushes the Huntress Agent to all in-scope endpoints, allowing you to measure progress toward your goal of deploying to 50% of contracted endpoints.
 

Phase 2: Validate Deployment Coverage

Once your deployment tools begin pushing software, verify that active coverage matches your target architecture:

  1. From your RMM tool, export a complete list of all active, in-scope endpoints:

    • Domain controllers

    • Servers

    • Workstations and laptops

    • VDI endpoints (if applicable)

  2. Log in to the Huntress platform and navigate to the Agent Setup page.

  3. Cross-reference the RMM hardware export against your active Huntress Agent inventory to pinpoint endpoints lacking the monitoring software.

  4. Open a dedicated deployment ticket within your ticketing system for every identified coverage gap, tracking each ticket until deployment succeeds and the ticket is closed. 

Phase 2 Result

  • Dynamic groups for servers and workstations have the Huntress script assigned
  • Huntress shows agents on all expected devices with a recent last check-in date
  • Remaining endpoints are listed in open deployment tickets

 

Phase 3: Verify Core Workflows and Integrations

Confirm that your endpoints communicate correctly with our platform and that security alerts route smoothly to your team.

Verify that your Huntress incident notifications are successfully integrated with your professional services automation (PSA) platform or centralized email ticketing queues. This ensures that live containment events and simulated issues reach your technicians instantly.

Managed Response and Host Isolation test

  1. Log in to Huntress to review and configure your Managed Response actions

    • Active Remediation and Host Isolation are enabled by default (recommended)

    • Active Remediation settings can be customized at the severity level

    • Disabling Host Isolation (not recommended) will prevent the Huntress SOC from containing affected hosts in the event of an incident

  2. Designate a non-critical endpoint in a lab or test environment to safely validate containment mechanics.

    1. Perform the containment test:

      • Within the Huntress platform interface, trigger Host Isolation for your designated test machine.

      • Verify that the test device is completely unable to reach the internet.

    2. Release the endpoint:

      • Remove the containment status from the platform.

      • Confirm that the test endpoint successfully restores standard network access.

Incident flow test

  1. Trigger a simulated event:

    • Select the Simulate an Incident utility within the Huntress console.

    • Choose your designated test machine to perform the incident process

  2. Verify the incident tracking loop:

    • Open your ticketing platform interface and confirm that an accurate incident ticket automatically populates on your designated PSA service board.

    • Process, update, and close the simulated ticket within your team's standard tracking workflow to confirm end-to-end telemetry.

Phase 3 Result

  • The designated test machine should not be able to reach the internet when isolated, and have network access restored when isolation is removed
  • The simulated incident should create a PSA ticket in the expected board or queue
  • The PSA ticket should be worked and closed successfully

 

Final Expectations

Upon completing this fast-start sequence, your RMM tool will actively push Huntress to your architecture, establishing verified coverage across your infrastructure. Your Huntress dashboard will display healthy Agents with a recent last check-in date on all expected hosts. Furthermore, your containment loop is verified, and automated alerts route reliably into your closed-loop ticketing ecosystem.


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