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About Rolling Out Updates to Mobile and Dedicated Clients

The Siebel Packager utility allows the Siebel administrator to rollout Siebel application configurations and customizations to mobile and dedicated clients. Siebel Packager assembles the Siebel client executable program and other installed files, including your custom configuration, into a customized installation package.

Siebel administrators can use these installation packages when installing Siebel eBusiness Applications for the first time or when upgrading from previous versions. Optionally, you can package the Siebel client installation as a single, self-extracting archive file.

CAUTION:  Do not use Packager for Siebel maintenance releases. Packager is designed for use with full releases. It does not include the necessary functionality to install a Siebel release that depends on the existence of a previous release.

For details on the process of rolling out customizations using the Siebel Packager utility, see Process of Rolling Out Updates to Mobile and Dedicated Clients.

Distributing Siebel Client Packages

After the Siebel client installation has been packaged, the package can be distributed to your users in several ways. For details, see Making Your Customized Installer Available to End Users.

• Siebel Anywhere. Distribute and execute the package automatically as a Siebel Anywhere kit. For further information on Siebel Anywhere, see Siebel Anywhere Administration Guide.
• CD-ROM or DVD. Distribute the package to end users on CD-ROMs or DVDs.
• LAN, WAN, VPN, or modem. Distribute the package across a LAN, WAN, VPN, or modem. Do this directly or using third-party software.
• Other methods. Distribute the package by email or FTP to end users.

General Process of Creating a Package

The Packager utility creates a standard installation package in two steps:

1. Gathers the Siebel components and files you specify, copies the standard InstallShield components into the client installer directory, and creates a packing list used by InstallShield.
2. (Optional.) Packages the Siebel client installer (prepared in the previous step) into a self-extracting archive, which, when executed, automatically decompresses and starts the Siebel client installer.