DTE010 – Set Up the Deployment Tool

What is the Deployment Tool?

The Deployment Tool enables you to package and distribute your Visual LANSA-developed application to your users (or customers), whether they are internally or externally based. We'll refer to your application as "product" to avoid confusion with the Deployment Tool Application concept.

Using the Deployment Tool, you start by creating an Application. Within the Application you create a Version containing the relevant objects that make up your Visual LANSA-developed product. You select specific LANSA objects for inclusion in the Version as well as nominating options and settings that relate to the environment in which the Version will be deployed. Non-LANSA objects can also be included in a Version.

Once you have completed the selection process the Version is built which produces a Version Installer file.

Your Visual LANSA-developed products are thus distributed to the end user for the installation of all the relevant objects on to their PC. All the user has to do is run the Version Installer file and follow the prompts - or you can use the Just In Time Upgrade to automatically update the user's version of the application, as necessary, each time the software product is started. (See the Glossary for a description of the Version Installer file and Just In Time Upgrade.)

Your software product can be distributed and deployed using:

• An automatic installation from an application serving system
• A web based download which is initiated by operator selection
• A copy of the Version Installer file on to media such as a DVD
• Systems Center Configuration Manager software.

Applications may be maintained by creating a Version or a Patch based on an existing Version. A new Version may be used for a first installation of the software product or may be used to upgrade an existing installation of the software product. A Patch must be applied to an existing installation of the Version on which it is based.

Objective

To begin using the Deployment Tool by defining a company and an application.

To achieve these objectives, you must complete the following:

Step 1. Define Company

Step 2. Define X_RUN Arguments

Step 3. Define an Application

Summary

Before you Begin

Decide which Deployment Type you will follow in this tutorial.

If you're not familiar with the Deployment process, we recommend that you read the text recommended in Tutorial Versus Real World.