Use Central Management to Deploy MSI Packages

Use the Package Manager to upload companion install packages (.msi) to the Administrative Server for deployment to specified users. Companion install packages can be created in the Installation Customization Tool or other MSI creation tools, and may include toolbars, macros, keyboard maps, and settings files.

NOTE:You can simplify deployment of MSI packages by saving your customized sessions as compound session document files.

These packages are automatically deployed to a user's desktop when the user logs on to the Management and Security Server or starts a Reflection Workspace session with Centralized Management enabled.

To upload a package

In a web browser, start Management and Security Server by setting the URL to:

http://server:port /mss/AdminStart.html

where server and port are replaced with the Administrative Server address.
Click Administrative WebStation and log on as administrator.
Click Package Manager on the left.
Click Add and then Browse to locate the .msi file you want to add or update. You can optionally add a description about the package.
Click Save to upload the package to the Administrative Server.

To deploy a package to users

Use the Access Mapper to specify users to which the package will be deployed.

Use Access Mapper in the Administrative WebStation to provide access to specific users or groups. If the Administrative Server has been configured to integrate with your enterprise directory using LDAP, the Access Mapper operates in a different mode. For more information, refer to the documentation included with Management and Security Server.

After you make the package available to a user, the next time that user accesses the Links List, the package contents are copied to the user's computer to the locations specified in the MSI package. Files on the user's computer may be overwritten, depending on the options chosen when the MSI package was created.

To update or replace a package

To update an MSI package on the Administrative Server, you essentially replace it with an updated file of the same name.

Make your changes to the MSI package and save it using the same name.
From Package Manager, click the MSI file that you want to replace.
Click Browse, select the modified package, and then click Open.
In the Description field, enter a version number or some other indicator that the package contents have changed, and then click Save.