Supported platforms
This page lists the operating systems the Outpost agent runs on and what Outpost can do on each one. Use it to check a computer before you enroll it, and to understand why a control is unavailable for a particular endpoint.
Each endpoint also reports what it can do, so the console knows the difference between “this endpoint cannot do that” and “this endpoint found nothing”. When a control is unavailable on one endpoint, the console says why.
Operating systems
Section titled “Operating systems”| Operating system | Versions | Architectures | Download choices in the console |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2016 and later | x64 | Windows x64 (single file) (.exe), Windows x64 (MSI, for GPO or Intune) (.zip holding the MSI and its configuration file) |
| Linux | Distributions that use systemd | x86-64, arm64 | Linux x64, Linux ARM64 (.tar.gz) |
| FreeBSD | No minimum release published | x86-64, arm64 | FreeBSD x64, FreeBSD ARM64 (.tar.gz) |
| OpenBSD | No minimum release published | x86-64, arm64 | OpenBSD x64, OpenBSD ARM64 (.tar.gz) |
| macOS (Preview) | macOS 14 and later | Apple silicon, Intel | macOS Apple silicon, macOS Intel (.zip holding the .pkg and its configuration file) |
The download choices are the Platform options under Enroll a device on the endpoint list. The Install the agent step of the first-run setup wizard offers the same downloads with shorter labels, such as Windows installer and Linux (x86-64).
Windows
Section titled “Windows”The agent runs on 64-bit Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, and later releases. Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, and earlier releases are not supported. There is no installer for Windows on ARM.
Some features depend on the Windows build or the hardware:
- The full-screen remote terminal needs Windows 10 version 1809 or later, or Windows Server 2019 or later. Earlier builds get a line-based terminal.
- Outpost Sync needs Windows 10 version 1709 or later, or Windows Server 2019 or later.
- Managing BitLocker drive encryption needs a TPM.
- Patching needs the Windows Update service. An endpoint where it is disabled reports that it cannot scan or install updates.
- Deploying software from winget needs winget on the endpoint. Most Windows Server releases do not include it.
The agent runs on Linux distributions that use systemd, on x86-64 and arm64. Patching and software deployment use the distribution’s own package manager:
| Distribution family | Package manager |
|---|---|
| Debian and Ubuntu | apt |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora | dnf |
zypper, pacman, and apk are not supported. On a distribution without apt or dnf, the agent still reports inventory and runs scripts, but patching and software deployment are unavailable.
Remote desktop works on endpoints with a display: X11 sessions, Wayland
sessions, and the login screen before anyone signs in. A server with no display
gets the remote terminal instead. Locking the screen, signing a user out, and
messaging a user need systemd-logind. Messaging a user also needs wall.
FreeBSD and OpenBSD
Section titled “FreeBSD and OpenBSD”FreeBSD and OpenBSD endpoints get a smaller feature set: basic inventory (identity, operating system, uptime, processor, memory, storage, and network), the running process list, the remote terminal, scripts, patching, and agent self-update. Patching uses pkg and freebsd-update on FreeBSD, and syspatch and pkg_add on OpenBSD. There is no remote desktop, software deployment, policy enforcement, or tray app on these platforms.
macOS (Preview)
Section titled “macOS (Preview)”macOS support is a preview. It runs on macOS 14 and later, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
- The macOS download choices appear in the console only when macOS installers are turned on for your Outpost.
- The macOS package is not signed or notarized by Apple, so Gatekeeper blocks it until an administrator on the Mac allows it.
- Remote desktop needs the Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions on the Mac. Without Accessibility, a session is view only.
Features by platform
Section titled “Features by platform”| Feature | Windows | Linux | macOS (Preview) | FreeBSD and OpenBSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware and software inventory | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic only |
| Live metrics | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Running process list | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote terminal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote desktop | Yes | Yes, with a display | Yes | No |
| Scripts | PowerShell, cmd, batch | sh, bash, zsh, Python | sh, bash, zsh, Python | sh, bash, zsh, Python |
| Run a script as the signed-in user | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Run a script at sign-in | Yes | Yes, with systemd-logind | Yes | No |
| Scheduled scripts while offline | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Patching | Windows Update | apt or dnf | macOS Software Update | pkg and freebsd-update (FreeBSD), syspatch and pkg_add (OpenBSD) |
| Software deployment | winget, Chocolatey, and installers | apt or dnf | Homebrew, .pkg, and .dmg | No |
| Profiles and policy enforcement | Yes | Yes | Yes | Platform-neutral settings only, no enforcement |
| Drive encryption | Managed (BitLocker) | Reported only (LUKS) | Managed (FileVault) | No |
| Local administrator password rotation | Yes | Yes (root) | Yes | No |
| Restart and shut down | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Lock screen, sign out, and message a user | Yes | Yes, with systemd-logind | Yes | No |
| End a process | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Start, stop, and restart services | Yes | Yes, with systemd | Yes | No |
| Switch neighbor detection (LLDP and CDP) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Outpost Sync | Yes | No | No | No |
| Outpost tray app | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Agent self-update | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
bash, zsh, and Python scripts run only on endpoints where that interpreter is
installed. sh is always available on Linux, macOS, and the BSDs.
Console browsers
Section titled “Console browsers”The console is a web application. It supports current versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox (including the Extended Support Release), and Apple Safari.
Related
Section titled “Related”Content is licensed CC BY 4.0. Code samples are MIT. Outpost and the Outpost mark are trademarks of Outpost Business Solutions, PBC and are not covered by either license.