Ease your Notes Client Rollout
Managing client software can be easy when planned and administrated properly. A good deal can be achieved using Domino policies, Smart Upgrade and some silent install options when rolling out. If you want to remodel your environment (e.g. to move the data directory into to user profiles and clean things up) you could consider using the Panagenda Marvel client or the BCC Client Genie (both made in German speaking Europe).
But there are more options to consider. As you might know Notes can run off a memory stick (Lotus Nomad), technically more correct: off a removable medium. Nobody stops you from preparing an ISO image and mount that on the machine you want to use it. There are sufficient tools around to help you on the mounting process. Of course Nomad comes with a set of its own challenges. Following the idea, wouldn't it be great if there would be a virtual file system that would handle a virtual registry and reduce your whole install to a single copy of one executable file. Many years ago (in a different life) I used a tool that did exactly that. Its name was Thinstall. It was provided by a small innovative company, which was OK for my requirement then, but would have me worried for an enterprise deployment. The company is no more, since EMC/VMware realized their potential and bought them. The tool is now called VMWare ThinApp and has matured from its already promising beginnings. A client licence goes for below 50$ for the runtime, but you need the ThinApp Suite 4 to package your application. Just imagine: any app you deploy is an install free single exe file. That would be just like one of the mobile app stores.
As usual: YMMV
But there are more options to consider. As you might know Notes can run off a memory stick (Lotus Nomad), technically more correct: off a removable medium. Nobody stops you from preparing an ISO image and mount that on the machine you want to use it. There are sufficient tools around to help you on the mounting process. Of course Nomad comes with a set of its own challenges. Following the idea, wouldn't it be great if there would be a virtual file system that would handle a virtual registry and reduce your whole install to a single copy of one executable file. Many years ago (in a different life) I used a tool that did exactly that. Its name was Thinstall. It was provided by a small innovative company, which was OK for my requirement then, but would have me worried for an enterprise deployment. The company is no more, since EMC/VMware realized their potential and bought them. The tool is now called VMWare ThinApp and has matured from its already promising beginnings. A client licence goes for below 50$ for the runtime, but you need the ThinApp Suite 4 to package your application. Just imagine: any app you deploy is an install free single exe file. That would be just like one of the mobile app stores.
As usual: YMMV
Posted by Stephan H Wissel on 31 May 2010 | Comments (1) | categories: Show-N-Tell Thursday
