Using packager

The Packager node will provide access to the types of package which are applicable to the operating system of the respective device, that is, under a Windows client you will be able to create MSI, snapshot and custom packages, on a Linux device rpm and custom packages, while on a MacOS computer you can only create custom packages. The types of packages are indicated also via their icons:

Icon

Package Type

package_cust.png

Custom Package

package_msi.png

MSI Package

package_rpm.png

RPM Package

package_snp.png

Snapshot Package

The Packager nodes have a subnode for each type of package which can be created on the respective device. 

The following topics provide more information about using Packager node:

Publishing a package to the master

When you publish an package you make it available to the general public in you network by placing it on the master. To publish a package, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the package to be published in the left window pane.
  2. Click Edit > Publish to Master
    package_sendmaster.png.
    The package will copied to the master server and added automatically to the Packages node with its existing name.
  3. If the package already exists on the master and was tagged with a renaming order when being sent to the device for modification, a window appears to inform you of this fact. Click OK to acknowledge.
    Then the Properties dialog displays on the screen, in which you must enter a new name for the package.
  4. Click OK to confirm.

You can follow the status of the publication process in the Package Status line in the right window pane of the package. Be aware that the status Package successfully published to the direct parent. only indicates that the package has arrived at the parent of the current device and not yet at the master. The status Package successfully published to target device. indicates, that the package has arrived at the master and is available for general use.

Publishing a package to a relay

A package does not necessarily have to be made available to the whole network, it can just be needed and thus be published to a specific group of devices. To do so the package can be published to a relay. Be aware that packages cannot be published to relays installed on Window 95/98/ME operating systems, these cannot be used as Storage Relays. To publish a package to a relay, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the package to be published to the relay in the left window pane.
  2. Click Edit > Publish to Relay package_resendrelay.png.
    The Select a Storage Relay pop-up menu displays the list of all available relays.
  3. Select the desired relay from one of the list boxes.
    The package will copied to the relay and added automatically to its Packages node with its existing name.

You can follow the status of the publication process in the Package Status line in the right window pane of the package. Be aware that the status Package successfully published to the direct parent. only indicates that the package has arrived at the parent of the current device and not yet at the target relay. The status Package successfully published to target device. indicates, that the package has arrived at the target relay and the master has received this information, thus the package is now available for general use.

Referencing a package

A package can also only be referenced by the master, that is, the master receives all information about the package but not the package itself. The package in this case is stored in a specific location, which, for example, can also be a removable unit such as a CD/DVD or a USB key, and a relay which requires the package for itself or its clients will verify the given location before requesting it from the master. To reference a package, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the package to be referenced in the left window pane.
  2. Click Edit > Reference Package package_resendrelay.png.
    All information about the package is directly sent to the master.

Deploying packages from Amazon Web Services S3 (AWS S3)

BMC Client Management can use AWS S3 to store packages instead of using relay servers on each site. To utilize the capabilities of AWS S3 to store and deploy packages, perform the following tasks:

To configure AWS S3 settings

  1. From the BMC Client Management console, select Global Settings > AWS > Configuration node.
  2. Right-click and select the Properties properties.png menu item from the appearing pop-up menu.
  3. Define the following values in the Properties pop-up window:
    1. Click Select AWS device icon.pngand select the proxy device from the Select the AWS Proxy pop-up window.

      Select AWS proxy pop up.png
    2. For long term credentials, enter the values in the Access and Secret fields.
    3. For short term credentials, enter the values in the Access, Secret and Assume Role fields. 
  4. Click OK.

    AWS properties.png


Notes

  • To ensure that BMC Client Management is able to connect to AWS S3, you have to select a device proxy that has internet access.
  • When using the Assume role field, all client connections are done with temporary security tokens.

To synchronize AWS S3 buckets with BMC Client Management objects

The buckets related to AWS S3 need to be referenced as bucket objects in BMC Client Management. You have to synchronize AWS S3 with BMC Client Managment to create these objects. 

  1. From the BMC Client Management console, select Global Settings > AWS > Buckets node.
  2. Right-click and select Synchronize buckets.

After you synchronize the buckets, the existing buckets in AWS S3 are populated as child nodes under the main bucket nodes in BMC Client Management. 

child nodes AWS.png

Notes

  • If you add or remove buckets on AWS S3, you must synchronize AWS S3 with BMC Client Managment again to be consistent. 

To publish packages through the AWS S3 bucket

After you create the bucket objects in BMC Client Management, you can use them to publish and deploy the packages. You can publish a package through AWS S3 by performing either of the following steps:

Publish through wizard:

  1. From the BMC Client Management console, select Wizards> Package Creation.
  2. Select the package in the Package Factory pop-up window and click Next. 
  3. In the Package Creation Wizard pop-up window, perform all the steps and navigate to the Publication step. 
  4. Select Publish to Amazon, and then select the bucket that needs to be used for publication. 
  5. Click Finish. 

    Publish AWS.png

Publish through packager: 

  1. From the BMC Client Management console, select Packages> Package Factory> Custom Packages> Packager.
  2. Right-click the relevant package and select Publish to Amazon.

    AWS packager.png

    The     Select a bucket pop-up window displays the list of all available buckets.
  3. Select the relevant bucket and click OK. 

    bucket_selection.png

To deploy the packages

When packages are published on AWS S3, the BMC Client Management agent associated to the package makes requests to get the package to the master server. The process is automatic. To ensure that the deployment is successful, perform the following:

  • In case you have published the same package across several regions, you can configure the preferred region at the client level. If the particular package exists in the region, the agent will get it from the region, or else it will get the package from another region. You need to set the 'AWS Bucket Region' parameter in the File Store configuration settings. For more information, see Setting-the-File-Store-module-parameters.

  • In case you have published the package on both AWS S3 and the master server, you can force the download of the package from the master server, if the client is connected to VPN. You need to set the 'AWS on VPN' parameter in the File Store configuration settings. For more information, see Setting-the-File-Store-module-parameters.


Notes

  • You can also update both the parameters by using the operational rule in the File Store module set up.
  • The publication capability on AWS S3 is only available for custom and MSI packages. 

Sending a package back to a packager

A package, once published to the master, might have to be modified again later on, either on the device it was created on or on another device. Make sure that the device you intend to send the package to is enabled with the Package Factory , that is, it is a Packager, and that it's operating system is compatible with the package type, otherwise it cannot be modified. To send the package for modification to a device, proceed as follows.

  1. In the Packagers tab of the package to be sent to another device select Edit > Send Package package_send.png.
    The Send Package to Packager pop-up menu appears.
  2. Select the device to which to send the package to from one of the list boxes.
  3. You can also specify if the package is to be renamed when it is being uploaded to the master again. In this case mark the Force Rename check box below the list of devices.
  4. Click OK to confirm and to close the window.

The package is now sent to the device, you can follow the progress via the Status value of the table.

 

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