Managing Package Factory

BMC Client Management - Software Distribution provides a module which provides several different ways of creating packages and is also responsible for publishing the finished packages to the master server or a collection/depot server for distribution.

1. The user interface of the Packager allows for the creation of all types of packages. It handles the different creation types and proposes the appropriate options based on the selected type. Then it creates a container .zip file including all files required for the distribution.
2. In a second step the Packager publishes the .zip file. Publishing can be done either directly to the master to store it in the database and make the package available to the whole network. Otherwise the package can be published to a relay, which makes the package available to all its children only. At the same time an information is sent apprising the master of this fact.

All packages created through the Packager contain the following information stored in the package's properties file and stored in the master database:

• A unique package identifier which is generated at the time of package creation on a random basis to uniquely tag a package.
• The package name which will be displayed in the master server database to access the package.
• The file checksum which is the checksum of all files and the scripts included in the package.
• A package description which contains further comments on the package.
• The date of creation.
• The date on which the package was last modified.
• The name of the administrator who last modified it.

Any type of device can be a Packager, however, because the Package Factory is a restricted module a device must be declared as such. This is done in the client's properties, for more information about this subject refer to the Device-management topic. By default the master is defined as a Packager. This functionality, the Package Factory , is accessible remotely on any computer of the network through the main Packages node of the console.

The first-level of the Package Factory node lists all devices which are Packagers and the following information about these:

The following topics provide information about managing package factory:

• • Adding a new packager
  • Cleaning up packages that are no longer used

Adding a new packager

To be a Packager a device must be declared as such. This can either be done in the properties of the device or in the Package Factory node. To add a device to the Package Factory as a Packager proceed as follows:

1. Select the Package Factory node in the left window pane.
2. Select Edit > Add Packager  .
   The Add a New Packager pop-up menu appears.
3. Select the device to be added from one of the list boxes.
4. Click OK to confirm and close the window.

The device will be added to the table of Packagers and its configuration parameter will be updated. Also the modules about the available packager types for the device's operating system are automatically loaded, if not done so yet.

Cleaning up packages that are no longer used

This menu item of the Tools menu allows you to delete old packages of any type from its storing location (data/Vision64Database/packages) when a new version of the same package displays, that is, when a package was modified and republished. If you have activated the RemoveOldPackages option in the database configuration (Vision64Database.ini) file this operation will automatically be executed, that is, a package will automatically be deleted when a new version of it is published.

To clean up all obsolete packages, proceed as follows:

1. Anywhere in the console select the Tools > Clean-up Old Packages  menu item.
   The obsolete packages will be automatically deleted.