Application Delivery

Applications can be installed in unmanaged mode, not only when the workstation is inside the corporate network, but also over the internet.
To allow software distribution over the internet the administrator should make the ‘InstallScripts’ location (or parts of it) accessible over the internet.

This can be done in four ways:

• VPN-Connection (UNC/SMB)
• HTTP
• FTP
• WebDAV

The administrator should direct Scense into choosing the right delivery protocol and the right credentials.
Several Site Parameters can be used to identify the available access types to the ‘Installscripts’ resource.

UNC/SMB:

InstallScripts                              (UNC path)
Access is controlled with pass-through domain credentials

HTTP:

InstallScriptsHTTP                    (URL)
Access is controlled through additional Site Parameters:
        InstallScriptsHttpUser
        InstallScriptsHttpPassword

FTP:

InstallScriptsFTP                        (URL)
Access is controlled through additional Site Parameters:
        InstallScriptsFtpUser
        InstallScriptsFtpPassword

WebDAV:

InstallScriptsWebDAV               (URL)
Access is controlled through additional Site Parameters:
        InstallScriptsWebdavUser
        InstallScriptsWebdavPassword

Delivery Protocol Each Application Type has its corresponding Action which is used for installing the application. These Actions can automatically determine which delivery protocol should be used based on network identification. When the computer is inside the corporate network the UNC delivery protocol will be used and if the computer is outside the corporate network another protocol is automatically selected based on which alternative protocol is defined by the administrator. If only HTTP is defined, then Scense will automatically choose HTTP.

The administrator is also able to force the delivery protocol by manually selecting it. This way the administrator can make sure the application will only be installed through e.g. HTTP.

The administrator might even create more than one installation Action with different delivery protocol settings and use conditions to decide which delivery protocol is used.

Additional download files It is possible to specify additional files for downloading. This can be required when an installation package consists of multiple files. E.g. an MSI-file with external CAB-files. By default, the installation package specified In the Application object will be downloaded automatically, and does not have to be specified as a download file. With ‘Generic Applications’ the Download Files page should be used to specify all package files including the main installer file.

Installing the software

While applications are installed directly from the InstallScripts location when inside the corporate network, different rules apply when the computer is outside the corporate network and tries to install an application over the internet.

Using HTTP, FTP or WebDAV, Scense will first download all necessary files to a local staging area and will then proceed with the installation of the local package.

The download operations are not (yet) resumable, so the user has to make sure he waits for the entire download and installation process.