How do I deploy an application across a network?

[clegg]

Hi all

I come from a COBOL background where finished code (ints, gnts etc) were stored on the server and clients used some sort of emulation software to run the application from their PC.

Now I'm using VB6 and obviously the finished app needs to be installed on each individual PC rather than having one set of programs in one location.

I can see this being a bit of a nightmare to manage! How does everyone deal with this situation in the real world?
Is there an easy way of distributing/installing the finished product accross a network?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Clegg

 

[x508]

What I normally do is to deploy the app on the server.

Then I create another setup app that installs everything like the first setup app, but I remove the exe file and database from it...this means that only the references etc. stays behind and gets installed. I see this as a kind of a "program drivers setup".

I then install this second setup(Program Drivers) on the client machines and make a shortcut to the exe file installed on the server.

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May the Code Be With You...
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x50-8 (X Fifty Eigt)

 

[clegg]

I've come up with my own solution to keep eveyone singing from the same hymn sheet!

I've created a 'launcher' that checks the version of the app on the client machine against a setup program on the server. If they're different it launches the setup program, otherwise it launches the app on the client machine!

Cheers

Clegg

 

[Pipe2Path]

This is what I do:

Initially, the application needs to be loaded on every PC
that's going to use it. Along with the EXE, I also have a launcher app on the client computer. The client runs the launcher app, which checks the version of the EXE on the network, and copies the file onto the local drive each time. This will ensure that the client is running the latest exe everytime, and when I have a new version, all I have to do is update the one on the network.