Deploy the Agent Client Collector using a custom base image

task brazil Updated Sep 10, 2026 1 min read acc-virtual-deployment.md

Deploy the Agent Client Collector on a virtual machine during mass deployment using the machine's base image. Mass deployment uses silent installation, which hides installation status.

Before you begin

Use Microsoft SCCM to manage the deployment and security of your devices, as described in the Create a Windows service account with Log on as a Service KB article.

Role required: agent_client_collector_admin

Procedure

Navigate to All > Agent Client Collector > Agent Downloads.
Download the installation file of the relevant OS.
Install the agent according to the relevant OS instructions.
Run the following command to stop the agent service:
- In a Windows environment: Run the command sc stop AgentClientCollector
- In a Linux environment: Run the command sudo systemctl stop acc
Ensure that the acc.yml file doesn’t include an encrypted API key.

For example: api-key: "<insert plain text API key here>"
Delete the contents of the agent's cache directory, keeping the directory structure intact:
- In a Windows environment: C:\ProgramData\ServiceNow\agent-client-collector\cache
- In a Linux environment: /var/cache/servicenow/agent-client-collector
When installing on a Windows machine, ensure that the installation was successful by doing one of the following:
- Enable logging in silent installation and verify that the log file ends with the string, Windows Installer installed the product.
- Ensure that the AgentClientCollector service has the status Running.
When installing on a Linux machine, access the machine where the agent is installed and modify the /usr/share/servicenow/agent-client-collector/serial_number.txt file in one of the following ways:
- Change its content with the host's serial number, by running the following command: sudo -n dmidecode -s system-serial-number
- Assign sudo permissions to the ServiceNow user to enable running the following osqueryi command: sudo -E env "PATH=$PATH" osqueryi --logger_min_status=3 --line "select hardware_serial from system_info" Note: You must change the virtual machine's host name after deployment to a unique value, to avoid damaging the host's CI.
As a post-deployment step, restart the agent service.
- In a Windows environment: Run the command sc start AgentClientCollector
- In a Linux environment: Run the command sudo systemctl start acc

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---
title: Deploy the Agent Client Collector using a custom base image
description: Deploy the Agent Client Collector on a virtual machine during mass deployment using the machine's base image. Mass deployment uses silent installation, which hides installation status.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-operations-management/agent-client-collector/acc-virtual-deployment.html
release: brazil
product: Agent Client Collector
classification: agent-client-collector
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [ACC installation, ACC deployment - servers, Configuring Agent Client Collector, Agent Client Collector, IT Operations Management]
---

# Deploy the Agent Client Collector using a custom base image

Deploy the Agent Client Collector on a virtual machine during mass deployment using the machine's base image. Mass deployment uses silent installation, which hides installation status.

## Before you begin

Use Microsoft SCCM to manage the deployment and security of your devices, as described in the [Create a Windows service account with Log on as a Service](https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0867669) KB article.

Role required: agent\_client\_collector\_admin

## Procedure

1. Navigate to **All** &gt; **Agent Client Collector** &gt; **Agent Downloads**.

2. Download the installation file of the relevant OS.

3. Install the agent according to the relevant OS instructions.

4. Run the following command to stop the agent service:

- In a Windows environment: Run the command `sc stop AgentClientCollector`
- In a Linux environment: Run the command `sudo systemctl stop acc`
5. Ensure that the `acc.yml` file doesn’t include an encrypted API key.

For example: `api-key: "<insert plain text API key here>"`

6. Delete the contents of the agent's cache directory, keeping the directory structure intact:

- In a Windows environment: `C:\ProgramData\ServiceNow\agent-client-collector\cache`
- In a Linux environment: `/var/cache/servicenow/agent-client-collector`
7. When installing on a Windows machine, ensure that the installation was successful by doing one of the following:

- Enable logging in silent installation and verify that the log file ends with the string, `Windows Installer installed the product`.
- Ensure that the **AgentClientCollector** service has the status `Running`.
8. When installing on a Linux machine, access the machine where the agent is installed and modify the `/usr/share/servicenow/agent-client-collector/serial_number.txt` file in one of the following ways:

- Change its content with the host's serial number, by running the following command: `sudo -n dmidecode -s system-serial-number`
- Assign sudo permissions to the ServiceNow user to enable running the following `osqueryi` command: `sudo -E env "PATH=$PATH" osqueryi --logger_min_status=3 --line "select hardware_serial from system_info"`
**Note:** You must change the virtual machine's host name after deployment to a unique value, to avoid damaging the host's CI.

9. As a post-deployment step, restart the agent service.

- In a Windows environment: Run the command `sc start AgentClientCollector`
- In a Linux environment: Run the command `sudo systemctl start acc`