Objective
To explain the version evaluation logic used by an Automox Required Software Policy (RSP) when determining whether an application needs to be installed or updated on a target endpoint.
Overview
A Required Software Policy (RSP) ensures that a specific version (or higher) of a required software application is present on assigned endpoints. To do this, the Automox Agent inspects the software inventory of the device and compares any existing installations against the installer package file attached to the policy.
Evaluation Comparison Logic
When an RSP evaluates a device during a scan or policy execution, it checks the local endpoint's software inventory using "At Least" (>=) version comparison logic:
| Installed Software Version | Evaluation Result | Policy Action |
| Not Installed | Non-Compliant | Installs the attached software package. |
| Lower than attached package version | Non-Compliant | Updates the application using the attached package. |
| Exact Match to attached package version | Compliant | No action taken. |
| Higher than attached package version | Compliant | No action taken (prevents downgrading newer releases). |
Key Operational Behaviors
Package Inspection: The evaluation process extracts version metadata directly from the installer file (
.exe,.msi,.pkg,.dmg) attached to the policy and compares it against the version registered in the operating system's installed software database.Downgrade Protection: Because RSPs enforce a baseline threshold ("At Least"), the policy will never downgrade an application if a user or another process has installed a version newer than the one attached to the policy.