Technical White Paper vPMS Altiris Integration - visionapp

Technical White Paper
Altiris® Deployment Solution 6.5
Integration in vPMS 2006 R2

Contents
1 Preface................................................................................................................. 1
2 Introduction......................................................................................................... 2
2.1 Requirements ................................................................................................2
3 Background .......................................................................................................... 3
4 Requirements....................................................................................................... 4
5 Configuration in vCC............................................................................................. 5
5.1 Creating a Farm .............................................................................................5
5.2 Creating the Server ........................................................................................6
5.3 Assigning an ICM Script ..................................................................................7
5.4 Exporting the Transition Tool ...........................................................................8
6 Configuration in Altiris ® Console ........................................................................ 15
6.1 Copying Transition Tool Files.......................................................................... 15
6.2 Creating a New Job....................................................................................... 16
6.3 Running a Job.............................................................................................. 18
6.4 Monitoring the Installation ............................................................................. 19
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1 Preface
Thank you for buying a product from visionapp GmbH. visionapp Platform Management
Suite undergoes stringent quality tests. No product leaves our premises without having
been fully tested by our Quality Assurance. However, due to the complex structure of the
software, visionapp GmbH does not assume any liability that visionapp GmbH software is
free of errors, runs without interruption, is compatible with all devices and software
configurations or meets any other of your requirements.
This documentation has been prepared solely for information purposes and may be
changed any time without prior notice. It does not constitute any obligation whatsoever of
visionapp GmbH. Also, visionapp GmbH does not assume any liability for errors or
inaccuracies in this documentation.
Our latest documentation is available on our website under:
http://www.visionapp.com/support
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2 Introduction
This whitepaper (also simply called “document” hereafter) contains instructions on how to
integrate Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5 in visionapp Platform Management Suite 2006
R2. Before using the software, we recommend that you carefully read this whitepaper to
reduce the risk of errors related to the installation and configuration of the software.
visionapp GmbH welcomes your comments on this document. If you have any questions
or suggestions for improvements to the software itself or to the documentation, please
visit our website (http://www.visionapp.com/support) for information on how to proceed.
2.1 Requirements
Using this whitepaper in an efficient way requires good skills in using Altiris ® Deployment
Solution 6.5. Basic knowledge of Microsoft Windows Server operating systems as well as
software distribution mechanisms for operating systems and applications is a plus. This
document is also intended for persons involved in the installation, administration and
troubleshooting of servers. visionapp GmbH assumes that you are qualified for the
maintenance of servers and that you were trained to use the software products used.
This documentation requires a certain knowledge of technical facts and terms. Knowing
the documentation below will help to deal with issues addressed in this whitepaper:
> Altiris® Deployment Solution 6.5 Online Help
> visionapp Control Center Online Help
If you are unable to resolve a problem using the information provided, please visit our
website (http://www.visionapp.com/support) for additional troubleshooting information.
Our website also provides:
> Information on the product
> Information on new products
> Product updates
> Numerous whitepapers and presentations
> Retail partners near you
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3 Background
With Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5, Altiris offers a tool for remote control and
administration of server landscapes.
Integrating the Altiris solution in visionapp Platform Management Suite 2006 R2 (vPMS
2006 R2) allows administrators to apply the vPMS 2006 R2 package distribution
mechanisms and configuration options in Altiris ® controlled environments, in particular in
the field of Citrix Presentation Servers.
This whitepaper serves as guideline for performing the necessary modifications in an
Altiris ® environment. The Transition Wizard and the visionapp Transition Tool (vTT) will be
used to implement the transition from an Altiris ® operating system installation to a vPMS
2006 R2-based package installation.
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4 Requirements
The procedure described in this whitepaper requires a pre-installed Altiris ® Deployment
Solution 6.5 as well as a vPMS 2006 R2 environment.
To begin with, an Installation Control Manager Site (ICM Site) has to be created in
visionapp Control Center (vCC), including the supporting application software packages
and installation scripts. Then, following the operating system installation, the sequenced
software package installation can be run from within Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5.
For instructions on how to install the environments above and create an ICM Site, please
refer to the vCC Online Help.
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5 Configuration in vCC
5.1 Creating a Farm
In vCC, select Infrastructure Management (IM) and use the context menu to create a new
farm with the properties shown in Figure 1 below:
Figure 1: Creating a New Farm
The type of the farm is set under Type in the Subtype field. As illustrated in Figure 1,
under Installation procedure, select User-defined in the Operating system
installation field and ICM in the Software deployment field.
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5.2 Creating the Server
After having created the farm, use the farm’s context menu to create one or more servers
(refer to Figure 2).
Figure 2: Creating a New Server
In case the farm has been created as Citrix farm (as in the
example above), you need to create a zone before inserting
servers.
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5.3 Assigning an ICM Script
After the transition from the Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5 operating system installation
to the vPMS 2006 R2 package installation, an ICM installation script has to be assigned to
the server in vCC. This assignment is needed to ensure that the server receives the
software packages selected.
Figure 3: Assigning an ICM Script
For instructions on how to create an ICM installation script, please
refer to the vCC Online Help.
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5.4 Exporting the Transition Tool
The transition tool enables the transition from the Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5
operating system installation to the vPMS 2006 R2 package installation.
Under the newly created server, select the Remote Administration tab. Then click the
Transition Wizard button under Administration (refer to Figure 4).
Figure 4: Transition Wizard
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The Transition Wizard is used to export the necessary files to an appropriate directory.
The subsequent pages describe the various Transition Wizard screens and the settings to
be made.
Figure 5: Transition Wizard Welcome Screen
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The Installation dialog (refer to Figure 6) is used to set whether the files are to be
copied to the server(s) or exported to another location. Click the … button to select the
export directory.
Figure 6: Installation Dialog
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The Configuration Options dialog (refer to Figure 7) is used to define whether existing
configuration settings are to be kept or new ones edited. This being the initial
configuration, there are no existing settings and the Apply settings option is grayed out.
Figure 7: Configuration Options Dialog
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In the Domain integration dialog (refer to Figure 8) select the No integration option.
This is the setting required for the operating system installation in the Altiris ® Deployment
Solution 6.5 environment.
Figure 8: Domain Integration Dialog
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Finally, the Transition Wizard displays the Status dialog (refer to Figure 9) with, under the
Status tab, information on the current procedure.
Figure 9: Status Dialog
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The following Transition Tool files have been copied to the selected directory (refer to
Figure 10):
> vTT.exe visionapp Transition Tool
> vTT.ini visionapp Transition Tool configuration file
> vSit.dll visionapp encryption DLL for secure communication
Figure 10: Transition Tool Files
The vTT.ini file is needed to set up the connection to the vCC database and provide the
parameters required for the installation of the ICS service.
The vTT.ini file contains information such as the database name, the database user and
the encrypted password of the database user.
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6 Configuration in Altiris ® Console
After having completed the configuration in vCC and exported the Transition Tool files,
you can proceed with the configuration in the Altiris® Console.
This document does not describe preliminary settings to be
made in the Altiris ® Console, such as the inclusion of a server or
the creation of images. For details on these tasks please refer to
the Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5 Online Help.
6.1 Copying Transition Tool Files
First, the transition tool files generated with the Transition Wizard have to be copied to a
directory under the Deployment Server share on the Altiris ® server.
Create this new directory under: %PROGRAMFILES%\Altiris\eXpress\. The name of the
directory can be freely selected, but should be descriptive (e.g.: Transition).
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6.2 Creating a New Job
Now, in the Altiris ® Console, create a new job that will copy the transition tool files and
run the vTT.exe file.
To do so, open the context menu under Jobs and create a new job (named
Altiris_ICM_Job in Figure 11). Then click Add on the right-hand side of the screen and
select Distribute Software... (refer to Figure 11).
Figure 11: Deployment Console
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In the Distribute Software… dialog, select the vTT.exe file from the directory previously
created. To copy all of the files from the directory, enable the Copy all directory files
checkbox (refer to Figure 12).
Figure 12: Distribute Software Dialog
As an alternative, click Next > and define return values for the specific distribution
procedure in the dialog displayed next. Click Finish to save the settings and close the
dialog.
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6.3 Running a Job
How the job is run within the Altiris ® Deployment Console has to be decided by the
Administrator.
For instance, the job could be used in combination with an operating system image
distribution in order to implement an entire procedure, from the installation of an
operating system using Altiris ® to the installation of software packages using ICM.
A simple way to run a job is to drag and drop the newly created job to the server in the
Altiris ® Deployment Console.
In the Schedule Computers for Job dialog displayed next, you can select the Job
Schedule tab and enable the option Run this job immediately. Schedule for
immediate execution (refer to Figure 13).
Figure 13: Schedule Computers for Job Dialog
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After having confirmed with OK, the job copies the vTT.exe, vTT.ini and vSIT.dll files to
the target server and runs the vTT.exe program.
To do so, the job creates a temporary directory on the target server under
”%WINDIR%\Temp“. The log file generated by the vTT.exe program, vTT.log, is also
stored in this temporary directory.
For detailed information on how to run jobs in the Altiris ®
Console please refer to Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5
Online Help.
With the procedure illustrated, it is possible to use all of the vPMS 2006 R2 software
package installations within an Altiris ® Deployment Solution 6.5 environment.
6.4 Monitoring the Installation
To monitor an installation, regardless of the software deployment solution used, select the
Protocol tab under Infrastructure Management in vCC.
For details on how to monitor an installation, refer to the
vCC Online Help under Monitoring an Installation.
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Figure 14: vCC Infrastructure Management Protocol Tab
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Imprint
Disclosure and Warranty
The information, concepts, and ideas contained in this document are the property of visionapp
GmbH. No part of this document may be disclosed or reproduced in any form without written
permission of visionapp GmbH. Any violation thereof will be pursued.
All brand names and product names used in this document are trademarks of their respective
holders and are recognized as such.
Any product descriptions or representations in this document are for identification purposes
only and are not to be construed as a warranty of specific properties or guarantee or warranty
of any other type. visionapp shall assume no liability, either explicit or implied, for the
documentation.
All rights reserved ©visionapp GmbH, October 06
About visionapp
visionapp specializes in the design, implementation and operation of server-based
infrastructure and portal solutions based on Microsoft and Citrix technologies. The company
provides unique products and services for optimization and cost-effective administration of
Windows Terminal Server infrastructures. Automated deployment tools (visionapp Platform
Management Suite), the visionapp Access Portal, consulting and ASP services form the core
business.
The visionapp products and solutions will be provided through a worldwide certified partner
network. Only in Germany visionapp delivers products and solutions directly to large
enterprises. The SME market is also being supplied through certified partners.
Further Information
visionapp GmbH
Head Office Frankfurt
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 110
D-60486 Frankfurt am Main
web: www.visionapp.com
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