Deploying, configuring, and updating IBM Rational products using Microsoft Systems Management Server

Level: Intermediate

Kiril Streltsov, Software Engineer, IBM Rational

31 Aug 2007

Overview

The following article describes how to install IBM^(R) Rational^(R) products using Microsoft^(R) Systems Management Server (SMS). Specifically, this article explains how to create a basic SMS package, program, and advertisement to install Rational products.

Prerequisites

Some familiarity with SMS 2003 is required.

System requirements

To complete the tasks in this article, you need a server installed with SMS 2003 Service Pack 2 and a workstation installed with SMS Advanced Client. The workstation should be assigned to the server SMS site.

Create an SMS package

1. Start the SMS Administrator console.
2. In the left pane, expand Systems Management Server > Site Database.
3. Right-click Packages; then click New > Package

   

4. In the Package Properties window, on the Data Source tab, specify the source directory where the installation files are located.

   

Defining a distribution point

1. In the SMS Administrator console, in the left pane, expand the new package.
2. Right-click Distribution Points; then click New > Distribution Point.

   

3. Select the available distribution point and click Finish.

Create an SMS program

1. In the SMS Administrator console, in the left pane, expand the new package.

   

2. Right-click Programs; then click New > Program.

   

3. In the Program Properties window, on the General tab, the Command line field should contain either a silent installation command or a wrapper script that calls a silent installation command. The executable files or the scripts should be located in the source directory.

   The following example shows a script wrapper that wraps a real installation script. The real installation script is described in detail in an article named Install, updating, and scripting installations for IBM Installation Manager. In these examples, the wrapper script is named install.bat and the real installation script is named setup.bat.

   Wrapper script example 1

   @REM This is a script example to call from an SMS program echo Actual call to an installation script setup.bat @set INSTALLERRORLEVEL=%ERRORLEVEL% @exit %INSTALLERRORLEVEL%

   
   Wrapper script example 2

   @REM This is a script example to call from an SMS program @REM This script is designed to execute installations that @REM require a drive letter in their execution @set HOME=. @set DRIVE=O: @subst /D %DRIVE% @subst %DRIVE% "%HOME%" echo Actual call to an installation script setup.bat set INSTALLERRORLEVEL=%ERRORLEVEL% @subst /D %DRIVE% exit %INSTALLERRORLEVEL%

   
   

   The wrapper script reads the error code of the installation script and passes it to SMS. SMS considers any non-zero return values as execution errors. The SMS administrator can see the actual error code in the SMS Administrator console.

4. In the Program Properties window, on the General tab, the After running field controls the post-execution steps for SMS or the program. For example, you can specify that SMS restarts computer or SMS logs user off to have SMS restart or log off after running, or you can specify Program restarts computer to manage that yourself. The default setting is No action required.
5. On the Environment tab, you can set the Program can run field. The option Only when a user is logged on invokes the program only if a user is logged on. The option Only when no user is logged on invokes the program if no users are logged on.
6. You should select the Run with administrative rights check box, which forces the program to run using the Local Administrator account.

   

Advertising an SMS program

1. In the SMS Administrator console, in the left pane, expand Systems Management Server > Site Database.
2. Right-click Advertisements; then click New > Advertisement.

   You can advertise the program to any particular system or collection of systems.

   

3. In the Advertisement Properties window, on the Advanced Client tab, you can specify whether the package must be downloaded.

   

   You must run the advertisement program on a target system manually. See Run the advertised program on a client computer.

Assigning an SMS program

1. In the SMS Administrator console, in the left pane, expand Systems Management Server > Site Database.
2. Right-click Advertisements; then click New > Advertisement.

   You can assign the program to any particular system or collection of systems.

   

3. On the Schedule tab, above the Mandatory Assignments list, click the icon to create a new mandatory assignment and specify its details.

   

4. In the Assignment Properties window, on the Schedule tab, click Assign to the following schedule and then click Schedule.

   

5. On the Advanced Client ab, specify whether the package must be downloaded.

   

   The assigned program runs on the target system automatically. Typically, the assignment is attempted only once.

Run the advertised program on a client computer

1. On a client computer, click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Run Advertised Programs.
2. Select the appropriate program and click Run.

   

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