Software deployment (office scenario)

About software deployment

Software deployment allows you to bulk install and upgrade software on VDI desktops without deleting desktop data.

To create the software to deploy, perform the following tasks:

1. Collect the differential data released during software installation on the desktop used for creating a software repository. For example, differential data for files and registry parameters.

2. Upload the differential data to the storage volume for the software repository to create a software sample for deployment to desktops.

Configuration workflow

1. Create a software repository template: Create a software repository template from a desktop that meets following requirements:

• Installed with Windows7 or Windows10 system (32-bit or 64-bit) and compatible Agent and CASTools. For information about the installation procedure, see "Manage a VM through the console."

• With no or minimum software installed.

You can create a qualified desktop before creating the software repository template.

2. Build and deploy a software repository

1. Build a software repository based on the software repository template and install the desired software and software updates in the repository.

2. Deploy the software and software updates in the repository to designated desktops.

3. Manage software repository templates: Edit, delete, and view software repository templates.

4. Manage software : Edit, delete, deploy software repositories, and set the scheduled software deployment time.

Restrictions and guidelines

• ARM hosts do not support software distribution.

• Only the default super administrator admin and the default system administrator sysadmin can create software repository templates.

• You cannot create a software repository template from a desktop in a desktop pool. To create a software repository template from the VM for a desktop in a static VDI desktop pool, you must first remove the desktop from the desktop pool.

• To ensure successful software distribution, do not perform any operations on the desktop used by the software repository template of the software repository.

• If you open the building page for a software repository for the first time, the building page might fail to open after the desktop starts. In this case, you can close the Web console and then click Continue Building to open the building page again.

• A software repository can deploy software only to desktops in desktop pools within the cluster where the desktop used by the software repository template belongs.

• A software repository can deploy software only to desktops for which protection mode is disabled in static desktop pools.

• A software product can be installed only on a supported operating system. Software deployment to a desktop will fail if the desktop runs an operating system different from that installed on the software repository template desktops.

• Some software products (such as Notepad++) distributed to a desktop through software deployment do not support the right-click or double-click startup method.

• Shortcuts will not be automatically created for software installed on end user's desktops through software distribution. Users must manually create the shortcuts as needed.

• Software products supported by software distribution include QQ7.9.6.22427, WeChat 2.6.0.56, Notepad++, Storm 5.70, and QQlive10.3.645.0.

• Software distribution does not support the following types of software products: personal software, input method software, commonly used large software (Auto CAD), and highly personalized software that cannot be shared among users.

• In cluster deployment, the shared storage space for a software repository must exceed 100 GB. If only one host exists in a cluster deployment, the local storage space of the host must exceed 100 GB.

Create a software repository template

A software repository template is the basis for creating a software repository.

A software repository template is created on a desktop that is equipped with Agent, CAStools, and minimal other required software. The desktop and the shared storage specified for the software repository together provide the software installation environment for the software repository. The software installation files and registry information are kept in the shared storage of a software repository. After a software repository is built, the software repository template is restored to its initial state so it can be used to create new software repositories or update existing ones.

 

You cannot use a desktop to create a software repository template if the system does not have operating system subversion information about the desktop. If a desktop is used to create a software repository template for the first time, you must first install CAStools on the desktop and power on it. This ensures the system can obtain the operating system subversion information about the desktop.

 

Prerequisites

Make sure you have a VM that is not installed with any software except the following software:

• Windows 7 or Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit).

• Compatible Agent and CASTools.

• Any other required software.

If no VMs are available for software repository template creation, use one of the following methods to create one:

• Add the VM and manually install the compatible Agent and CASTools on the VM.

• Deploy the VM from the desired VDI desktop image. For more information about the procedure, see "Manage VDI desktop images."

• Remove a desktop from a static VDI desktop pool, and then create the template from the VM on which the desktop was deployed. For more information about creating static VDI desktop pools and removing a desktop from a desktop pool, see "Manage a VDI desktop pool."

Procedure

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repository Templates.

2. Click Create.

3. Configure the following parameters:

• Name: Enter a name for the software repository template.

• Desktop: Select the desktop for creating the software repository template.

• Cluster: Displays the cluster to which the desktop belongs. This field is automatically populated after a desktop is selected. Software repositories created by using this template can deploy software only to desktops within this cluster.

• OS Version: This field displays the operating system of the desktop. Software repositories created by using this template can deploy only software compatible with this operating system.

4. Click OK.

Build and deploy a software repository

Use this function to build a software repository based on an existing software repository template. Then, you can deploy software and software updates in the software repository to desktops in static desktop pools.

Configuration workflow

1. Configure basic information for the software repository—Specify the software repository template and shared storage for the software repository.

2. Build the software repository—Use the software repository building tool to install software and software updates in the repository for future deployment to desktops.

3. Test the software repository—Deploy the software and software updates in the repository to designated test VMs and verify that the software can be installed on the VMs correctly. Only VMs that do not belong to any desktop pools can be selected for testing.

4. Deploy the software and software updates in the repository to selected desktops in a static desktop pool.

Procedure

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click Create.

3. On the Basic Info page, configure the following parameters:

• Software Repository Template: Select a software repository template for the software repository.

• Cluster: This field displays the cluster to which the software repository template desktop belongs. The software repository can deploy software only to desktops within the same cluster.

• OS Version: This field displays the operating system running on the software repository template desktop, which cannot be edited. The software repository can deploy software only to desktops and VMs running the same operating system.

• Storage Name: Select a shared storage with a minimum of 100 GB available capacity in the cluster where the software repository template VM belongs.

4. Click Next. The Build Software Repository page opens, displaying the software repository information with a state of Not Built.

5. Open the page for building the software repository through VNC or TightVNC.

The software repository building tool is displayed.

 

For common desktops, open the page for building the software repository through VNC. For vGPU desktops, open the page for building the software repository through TightVNC.

 

6. Get the software installation package from the shared directory and copy the package to the desktop on the local host.

7. In the software repository building tool, click Start Building. In the dialog box that opens, verify that the software installation package is prepared and click OK to start installing the software.

8. After software installation is complete, click Finish Creation. In the dialog box that opens, verify that the software is correctly installed and click OK. The system will automatically close the desktop. On the Build Software Repository page that opens, the software repository state is Building.

9. Click Refresh. The Test Software Repository page opens.

 

You can click Cancel to abort an ongoing building process and then resume the process at any time by clicking Continue in the State column for the software repository on the software repository list.

 

10. Click Add.

11. In the dialog box that opens, select the desktops (not in the desktop pool) for the software deployment test and click OK.

The system starts to deploy the software in the software repository to the selected desktops.

12. Click Refresh.

13. After software deployment to a desktop is complete, click Console in the Actions column for the desktop to verify that the software is correctly installed on the desktop.

14. Click Software List to view the list of the software in the software repository.

15. After the software repository passes the test, click Finish Test. The Deploy Software page opens.

16. Click Deploy Software.

17. In the dialog box that opens, select a static desktop pool and then select desktops in the pool for software deployment. Select Mandatory Deployment or Auto Run Desktops as needed, and then click OK.

• Mandatory Deployment: The system will shut down the desktops and deploy software to the desktops immediately. If this option is not selected, the system will deploy software to the desktops at the scheduled deployment time.

• Auto Run Desktops: The system will automatically shut down running desktops during software deployment. If this option is selected, when software deployment completes, the system will start the running desktops before software deployment.

18. After software deployment to a desktop is complete, click Console in the Actions column for the desktop to verify that the software is correctly installed.

19. Click Finish.

Manage software repository templates

A software repository template that is in In Use state cannot be edited or deleted.

 

Edit a software repository template

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repository Templates.

2. Click Edit in the Actions column for the target software repository template.

3. Edit the software repository template parameters as needed. For more information about the software repository template parameters, see "Create a software repository template."

4. Click OK.

Delete software repository templates

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repository Templates.

2. Perform either of the following tasks:

• To delete multiple software repository templates, select the target templates, and then click Delete above the software repository template list.

• To delete a single software repository template, click Delete in the Actions column for the template.

3. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

View software repository template information

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repository Templates.

The software repository template list displays all software repository templates in the system.

2. View the software repository template information. A software repository template can be in any of the following state:

• Available: The template can be used to create or update software repositories.

• In Use: The template is being used to create or update a software repository.

• Abnormal: The template needs to be repaired before it can be used.

Manage software repositories

Edit a software repository

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click Edit in the Actions column for the target software repository.

3. Edit the name and description of the software repository as needed.

4. Click OK.

Delete a software repository

You can delete a software repository only when the number of desktops in the software repository is 0.

 

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click Delete in the Actions column for the target software repository.

3. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

Set the scheduled software deployment time

Use this function to set the scheduled software deployment time for non-mandatory software deployment tasks. A non-mandatory software deployment task is a task configured in the Deploy Software window of a software repository with the Mandatory Deployment option unselected.

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click Configure.

3. Set the scheduled software deployment time and click OK.

View software repository details

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click the name of the target software repository.

The software repository details page opens.

3. View basic software repository information:

• Cluster: Cluster to which the software repository template VM belongs. The software repository can deploy software only to desktop pools and desktops in the cluster.

• Operating System: Operating system running on the software repository template VM. The software repository can deploy software only to desktops running the same operating system.

• State: State of the software repository, which can be Not Built, Building, Testing, Updating, Available, or Update Failed. A Continue link is displayed next to the Not Built, Building, Testing, and Updating states. You can click the link to continue building or updating the software repository until its state changes to Available. Only software repositories in Available state can be used to deploy software to desktops.

• Desktops: Number of desktops to which the software repository deploys software.

• Version: Version of the software repository in use. The version number increases by 1 upon a software repository version update. The installed software or version information vary by software repository version.

4. Click the Desktops tab to view the list of the desktops to which the software repository has deployed software. You can deploy software, cancel deployment, redeploy, and enter desktop console as needed.

• Name: Name of the desktop.

• State: State of the desktop, which can be Running, Suspended, Shutdown, Abnormal, or Unknown.

• Deployment State: Software deployment state, which can be About To Deploy, Deploying, Deployment Succeeded, and Deployment Failed.

5. Click the Version Info tab to view the available versions of the software repository. You can update the software repository version as needed.

• Version Info: Version number. A software repository can have a maximum of five versions numbered from V1 to V5.

• Created At: Time when the software repository of the specified version was created.

• Software List: Click View Software List to view the software list of the specified version.

• State: State of the software repository version, which can be Unfinished, Finished, or Finished (In Use).

• Actions: Click Update, and update the software repository version in the dialog box that opens.

Deploy software

Use this function to deploy the software in the available software repository to designated desktops.

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click Deploy Software in the Actions column for the target software repository.

3. In the dialog box that opens, select a static desktop pool and then select desktops in the pool for software deployment. Select Mandatory Deployment or Auto Run Desktops as needed, and then click OK.

• Mandatory Deployment: The system will shut down the desktops and deploy software to the desktops immediately. If this option is not selected, the system will deploy software to the desktops at the scheduled deployment time.

• Auto Run Desktops: The system will automatically shut down running desktops during software deployment. If this option is selected, when software deployment completes, the system will start the running desktops before software deployment.

4. Click the software repository name to enter the software repository details page. The Desktops tab displays the deployment progress for each of the selected desktop.

5. After software deployment to a desktop is complete, click Console in the Actions column for the desktop to verify that the software is correctly installed.

6. Perform the following tasks as needed:

• To cancel software deployment for multiple desktops in bulk, select the desktops and click Cancel Deployment. In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.

• To cancel software deployment for a single desktop, click Cancel Deployment in the Actions column for the desktop. In the dialog box, click OK. The desktop will be removed from the desktop list.

• To redeploy software to a desktop, click Redeploy in the Actions column for the desktop. In the dialog box, click OK. Before redeploying software to a desktop, the system will restore the desktop to the state before the previous deployment.

 

The system processes a desktop on which software deployment is cancelled based on the deployment state of the desktop: ·          A desktop in Deployment Succeeded or About To Deploy state will be removed from the desktop list directly. ·          A desktop in Deployment Failed state will be restored to its original state before the deployment and then removed from the desktop list.

 

Manage software repository versions

A software repository cannot be rolled back to a previous version.

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > Software Repositories.

2. Click the name of a software repository.

3. On the software repository details page, click the Version Info tab.

4. To view the software list of a version, click View Software List in the Software List column for the version.

5. To enable a version, click Enable in the Actions column for the version. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

6. To delete a version, click Delete in the Actions column for the version. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

7. To create a new version based on an existing version:

1. Click Update in the Actions column for the target version. The Update Software Repository dialog box opens.

2. Select a software repository template, and then click Start Building. The system starts to copy the software installation information of the current software repository version.

3. Click Refresh a while later. After the value of the State field changes to Updating, open the page for building the software repository through VNC or TightVNC. For more information about software installation and test procedures, see "Build and deploy a software repository."

4. After the software repository passes the test, click Finish Test.

5. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

View deployment history records

The History Records page displays the history software deployment task records for desktops.

From the page, you can view information such as the deployment result and the list of software deployed to a desktop in a software deployment task.

1. From the navigation pane, select Applications > Software Distribution > History Records.

2. View the software deployment task records displayed on the page.

3. To view the list of software deployed to a desktop, click View Software List in the Software List column for the desktop.