FluxDeployDocs
Topics: Auto Driver Matching

Auto Driver Matching

Auto driver matching provides MDT-style "Total Control" driver selection, where the server automatically selects the correct driver packages based on the target machine's hardware. This eliminates the need for per-model deployment recipes.

How It Works

When a recipe uses DriverSelectionMode = Auto, the matching process occurs at agent check-in:

  1. Agent reports hardware - During POST /api/deployment/check-in, the agent sends Manufacturer and Model values collected from WMI Win32_ComputerSystem (e.g., Manufacturer: "HP", Model: "HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Desktop Mini")

  2. Server queries drivers - The server searches DriverPackage records where:

    • InjectionMode = Offline (deployment drivers only)
    • Manufacturer matches the machine's manufacturer (or is null/empty for universal packs)
    • SupportedModelsJson contains the machine's model name (or is empty for universal packs)

  3. Matching rules:

    • Case-insensitive comparison

    • Partial model name matching (e.g., "EliteDesk 800 G6" matches a pack tagged with the full model string)

    • Results filtered by the recipe's supported Windows versions

    • Sorted by driver priority (DriverPack first, then Storage, Chipset, etc.)

    • Windows Server images only: packs whose recorded Windows versions name only Windows 10/11 are skipped. Packs with no version recorded, or that name a Windows Server release, still match. Windows 10/11 images are not filtered by version. See Deploying Windows Server.

  4. Fallback - If no model-specific match is found, the system falls back to any packages explicitly listed in the recipe's manual driver list (DriverPackageIdsJson)

  5. Transparent to agent - Matched package IDs are returned in the same DeploymentRecipeDto.DriverPackageIds field used by Manual mode. The agent does not need to know which mode was used.

Setting Up Auto Matching

Step 1: Download OEM Driver Packs

Use the OEM catalog integration on the Windows Drivers page. When you download a driver pack from HP, Dell, or Lenovo, the Manufacturer and SupportedModelsJson fields are auto-populated from catalog metadata.

Step 2: Configure the Recipe

On the recipe detail page, set Driver Selection Mode to Auto. Optionally add fallback packages to the manual list for machines that don't match any model-specific pack.

Step 3: Deploy

That's it. When machines check in, the server matches their hardware to the correct drivers automatically.

Benefits Over Manual Mode

  • Single recipe for all hardware - No need to create separate recipes per model
  • Targeted injection - Only model-specific drivers are injected, dramatically faster than injecting all drivers
  • Easy expansion - Support new hardware models by adding driver packs, no recipe changes needed
  • Relay compatibility - A relay site whose relay group has an active Auto recipe receives every Windows driver, so any model can be matched at the relay

Manual Upload Tagging

For manually uploaded driver packages, you can optionally set the Manufacturer and Supported Models fields to enable Auto matching. The Supported Models field accepts a JSON array of model name strings.