Understanding software distribution

This topic describes the Software Distribution task in IBM Director.

You must follow three steps to distribute software packages to IBM Director managed systems:
  1. Obtain the software.
  2. Import the software into IBM Director Server and build a software package.
  3. Distribute the software package to managed systems using one of the following methods:
    • Streamed distribution
    • Redirected distribution
    Note: Redirected distribution is only available for Level-2 managed systems.

Streamed distribution

A streamed distribution copies the software package from the management server to the managed system and then installs the software package onto the managed system.

When you use streaming to distribute a software package to a Level-2 managed system, if a network connection is broken during the transmission, IBM Director attempts to resume the connection from the point at which the transmission was interrupted. If the streaming operation can be resumed, retransmission time is saved. Otherwise, the entire package must be sent again.

When you use streaming to distribute a software package to a Level-0 managed system, or a Level-1 managed system, if a network connection is broken during the transmission, the entire package must be sent again.

With redirected distribution, a file-distribution server called a redirector share functions as a storage location for a software package. The redirector share caches a software package. After a package has been cached on a redirector share, the cached package is used for future distributions, which can reduce the amount of time that is required to distribute a software package. A software package is cached on a redirector share only when the package is distributed.

One benefit of redirected distribution is to reduce network congestion. With redirected distribution, the managed system receives only the minimum installation code that is needed to access the share and install the software from the management server.
Note: If the installation is interrupted, for example, if the connection is lost, the installation must be started again.

During a redirected distribution, IBM Director Server first determines which of its defined redirector shares that the managed systems to which the software package is being distributed can access. Then, IBM Director Server determines whether the software package is already cached on any of the mutually accessible redirector shares. If the package is not cached, IBM Director Server searches its list of shares to determine which share has enough free space to save the package.

For you to use this method, IBM Director must be set up to use a file-distribution server. You can use either an FTP-based share or a universal naming convention (UNC)-based share. See the IBM Director Installation and Configuration Guide for more information about setting up a share.

Note:
  1. The redirector shares keep an archive of all redirected software packages. To avoid exceeding available space on the shares, you should periodically examine the shares and delete cached software packages that are no longer needed, by using the File Distribution Servers Manager.
  2. Because a system account cannot write to a Microsoft network share, you cannot distribute software packages to a managed system that uses a network share. If a package is distributed to a folder on a Microsoft network share, the distribution fails, and the system log reports a lack of hard disk space. Modify the distribution to distribute to a local drive.

For software that uses Microsoft Windows Installer or InstallShield Professional as the installation utility, when you use the redirected distribution method, the software package is installed directly from the file-distribution server automatically. However, you can specify that the package stream from the file-distribution server by selecting the applicable check box in the “Distribution Preferences” window for a managed system or a group.

You must install the software packages by using the applicable wizard.

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