Summary:

There are many ways to rollout Packages in a network environment. New Boundary Technologies’ flagship product, Prism Deploy, includes a Deployment Console that enables drag and drop of Packages and other installation Tasks onto computers or groups of computers. Other options include using batch files, login scripts, Microsoft SMS, Novell ZENWorks Application Launcher, corporate intranet web pages, email and many more. This technical note highlights Novell’s Application Launcher, also referred to as NAL.

Solution:

Before you Begin
We assume that NAL is installed and configured on your Novell network. Refer to Novell’s documentation for more information on installing and using NAL.

Prism or PictureTaker should be installed to a server where users have access or to the local computers. Microsoft NT/2000/XP computers that will be receiving Packages must have the Prism or PictureTaker Service installed.

Creating a NAL Application
Run NWAdmin and create a new Application. Select the option to “Create a simple Application object”.

Give the application a description and fill in the path to the Prism Pack executable (paedit.exe or paclient.exe) or the PictureTaker executable (pictaker.exe or ptclient.exe).

Select "Display details after creation" and click on Finish. The Application Details page opens.

Select the Environment tab and fill in the "Command line parameters". Specify a command-line switch followed by the appropriate commands. Refer to the User’s Guide for more information on Prism or PictureTaker scripting commands:

·         /InstallPackage (/IP) or /ApplyFile (/AF) to install a Package.

·         /UninstallPackage (/UP) or /UnapplyFile (/UF) to unapply a Package that has previously been installed to the computer.

·         /PlayScript (/PS) to run a script.

·        /TakePicture (/TP) to take a Picture of a user’s workstation.

·        /FindChanges (/FC) to find changes between a Picture, Package or the workstation’s current environment.

Finish filling in other properties for the NAL Application. You will not need to use the tabs Registry Settings, INI Files, Application Files, Text Files, and Icon/Shortcuts. The Packages will already contain all these settings.

Select the Application tab to define how you want NAL to display the application to the user.

Assign the NAL Application. The Package will be installed when the user clicks on the icon.

Ideas for Use:

·         Create Packages for common applications and use NAL to deliver them to users.

·         If a user accidentally deletes a shortcut for an important application, instruct the user to double-click on the icon in NAL to reinstall the Package. This will recreate the shortcut.

·         Distribute a Package that installs a temporary application. Later distribute an application with the /UninstallPackage command to thoroughly remove the application from the computer.

·         Write a script that creates a backup Picture of the registry and other important files on users’ computers. Use NAL to schedule the script to run once a week.

·         Whatever else you can think of…