Developing and Deploying Siebel eBusiness Applications > Deploying the Application > Rolling Out to End Users >

Rolling Out to Mobile and Dedicated Web Client Users

The Siebel Packager utility creates custom software installation packages for distribution to end users. This installer contains the Siebel Mobile and Dedicated Client executables and your custom configuration. The installer creates a Siebel environment on the end users' machines that duplicates the environment on the administrator's client machine.

After the Siebel Packager utility assembles the software into a single, self-extracting file, you can distribute this installer to your users. For example, NREC chose network distribution, as described in Making Your Customized Installer Available to End Users. However, Siebel Packager packages can also be distributed in the following ways:

• Siebel Anywhere. You can use Siebel Anywhere to distribute and execute the installation automatically for both dedicated and mobile users. However, because receiving Siebel Anywhere kits requires the Siebel client to be already installed on the user's machine, you cannot use Siebel Anywhere for an initial rollout. You can use it only for upgrades. For more information, read Siebel Anywhere Administration Guide.
• CD-ROM. You can copy the customized software package onto CD-ROMs for distribution to end users.
• Other methods. You can distribute the program through any other file distribution mechanism, such as email or FTP.

Preparing to Use Siebel Packager Utility

You must complete the procedures in this section before using the Siebel Packager utility.

To prepare to use the Siebel Packager utility

1. Make sure the Siebel Packager utility has been installed on a client machine in your Production environment. This initial installation serves as a model for other installations, which may be performed by running the Siebel Packager utility against the initial installation.
   • Select Custom during client installation and be sure to select the Packager Utility option.
   • The rest of this chapter refers to the root-level directory of the client installation as siebel_clnt_root.
   • The Siebel Packager utility uses the files from this client installation (or another client installation, as specified when running the Siebel Packager utility) for the installer that it creates.

     NOTE:  Be sure to customize this model Siebel client installation so that it is identical to how you intend to package it. When creating the custom installer, the Siebel Packager utility reproduces this model installation exactly.

2. Copy any changed files to the appropriate directories under siebel_clnt_root, or under the root directory of another installation that you use to create the custom installation package.

   Such files may include custom repository (SRF) or configuration (CFG) files, and Web template files.

3. Make sure that you have sufficient free disk space on the client on which the Siebel Packager utility is installed.

   During the packaging process, the Siebel Packager utility temporarily requires three times the amount of disk space required by the Siebel client software you are packaging, plus two times the disk space required by the third-party software you are packaging.

4. Create a custom siebel.ini file.

   The siebel.ini file controls the following behavior of the installer that the Siebel Packager utility creates:

   • Whether or not the Siebel client installation program checks that the appropriate versions of third-party software have been installed on the client machine
   • Whether or not the data sources that the Siebel application relies on are installed and how they are configured
   • Which installation dialog boxes users are presented at run time and which installation parameters they can specify

     The siebel.ini file used by the standard Siebel client installer prompts the user for parameters—not usually the desired behavior for an end-user installation. You should create a siebel.ini file customized to your environment.

     Make your changes to the siebel.ini file located in the \siebel_client\packager\temp\package_name directory using a standard text editor. This file is largely self-documented to help you in customizing it. If you need more information, read Siebel Installation Guide: Servers, Mobile Web Clients, and Tools for Microsoft Windows.

Preparing Siebel Components for Packaging

You can use the Siebel Packager utility to package the Siebel client installation software. Of the different installable components that make up a Siebel application, NREC chose to package the ones described in Table 15.

For information about other types of files that can be packaged, read Siebel Installation Guide: Servers, Mobile Web Clients, and Tools for Microsoft Windows.

Running the Siebel Packager Utility

The Siebel Packager wizard guides you through the windows to help you create the custom client installer. NREC is deploying a single-language version of their application. This requires two separate installers—one for BASE and one for ENU (U.S. English). Both packages must use the same package name. You need a separate installer for each language component, including BASE. For example, if NREC were planning a multilingual roll out, it would require an installation of BASE as well as each additional language pack.

To create the BASE package

1. From the Windows Start menu, choose Programs > Siebel Client 7.7 > Packager.
2. Click OK at the Choose Setup Language screen.

   The Siebel Client Packager, Step 1 of 4 - Directory Definition dialog box appears.

3. Create the BASE package.
   1. Enter a Package Name. For example, NREC Package.
   2. Leave the default values in the remaining fields.
   3. Click Next.
4. In the Module Definition dialog box, choose Packager from the Modules list and click Remove and then Click Next.

   You do not want to include Packager itself as a module.

5. In the Packaging window, click Start.

   The utility displays progress information while it executes.

6. When the utility is complete, click OK and then Next.
7. In the Self-extracting Archive dialog box, click Exit to finish.

To create the language package

1. Go to start > Programs > Siebel Client 7.7 > Packager, and click OK at the Choose Setup Language dialog box.
2. In the Directory Definition screen:
   1. Choose <LANGUAGE> in the Language Packs list (for example, choose ENU for U.S. English).
   2. Enter a Package Name (for example, NREC Package).
   3. Leave the default values in the remaining fields.
   4. Click Next.

      The Module Definition dialog box appears.

3. Choose Packager from the Modules list, click on Remove to remove it, and then click Next.

   The Packaging dialog box appears.

4. Click Start to begin creating the package.
5. When the Siebel Packager utility is complete, click OK, and then click Next to continue.
6. In the Self-extracting Archive dialog box, click Exit to finish.

NOTE:  The parameters used in the siebel.ini file need to be modified so that the installation on the end-user machines is "silent." A silent install is one that does not display any windows or dialog boxes to the user. The siebel.ini file can be edited by clicking on the Edit siebel.ini file in the Siebel Packager utility. For more information about creating Base and Language Packages, and about editing the siebel.ini file, read Siebel Installation Guide: Servers, Mobile Web Clients, and Tools for Microsoft Windows.

Making Your Customized Installer Available to End Users

After you have tested your customizations and are satisfied with the client installer you have created, make your customized installer available to end users. As described earlier, you can distribute your customized installation program to end users in a number of ways. Because NREC chose to distribute the installer using network distribution, this section describes that distribution method. For instructions about other distribution methods, read Siebel Installation Guide: Servers, Mobile Web Clients, and Tools for Microsoft Windows.

To distribute a self-extracting installer over a LAN (if you created a self-extracting archive)

1. Put the self-extracting installer (packager_name.exe) in a network-accessible directory. Make sure that all users have access to this directory.
2. Send an email to users explaining how to copy and extract the package from this location. Consider telling users how to FTP the self-extracting archive to their machines and install it from there.

To distribute an installer over a LAN (if you did not create a self-extracting archive)

1. Put the package directory in a network-accessible location to which all users have access.
2. Send an email to users to tell them how to install the package from this location.

After or during this rollout, you are ready to provide user training on the applications.