A network deployment of the office catalog content allows you to centrally manage and install the monthly content to many users. The content can be installed to a shared network folder, what we call network deployment and in turn the users install or use the data from the network deployment. Users are then notified via a pop up whenever the network deployment is next updated at which time they can then run their update.
Network Deployment Initial Installation
- After you use the Content Downloader to download the current months catalog set, select Network Deployment from the catalog content Autorun menu or run the network.vbs file to begin the installation of a network deployment.
- Browse to the desired network location to deploy the content to. This should be an empty folder accessible by all users.
Example: X:\2020 Catalogs
- Choose the desired Client Installation method. This will determine how the users will install or access content from the network deployment.
Ask User - Allows a mixed usage type of both leave on server and locally installed catalogs. When the clients first install from the network deployment they will be given the choice to either install the content locally to their PC or access the content directly on the server.
Access Catalogs on Server - All clients who install from the network deployment will only be allowed to use the content directly from the server drive. Any web updates must be installed by the network deployment administrator directly to the network deployment.
Install Catalogs on User's Computer - All clients who install from the network will only be allowed to have the content installed to their local hard drive.
- Choose if you wish to allow clients to install web downloads by checking the box.
Note: Not available if doing an Access on Server only setup. If you do not check this box, any web updates must be installed by the network administrator directly to the network deployment. If the user is installing content locally, we recommend checking this box to give the user flexibility in obtaining a catalog update outside of the monthly network deployment updates.
- Select which Office Applications to install the content for.
Note: Worksheet and Cap are both required. Select Giza if you have any Giza users
- Select which manufacturers catalogs to install. The catalogs that are installed to the network deployment are the catalogs the users will have available to them. Make sure this covers the needs of the entire user base.
- Select which Material Suppliers to install.
Note: These are used only by the Visual Impression application. They do not need to be installed if you do not have any Visual Impression users.
- Click the Begin button to start the installation.
When finished, users can now install or access the catalogs from the network deployment folder. The users will browse to the network deployment folder and then go into the ClientSetup subfolder. Run the Setup.exe file located in the client setup folder to begin the installation of the content from the network deployment.
Network Deployment Monthly Maintenance
It is important that the Network Deployment installation is maintained and updated monthly to keep the content up to date for the users. It is recommended to use the same computer to update the network deployment that initially did the installation. While not required, it simplifies the process as when you next run the Network Deployment, it will automatically default to an express update mode, remembering the installation location and all previous selections.
- When the next month's content update is downloaded, Select Network Deployment from the catalog Autorun menu or run the network.vbs file to begin the installation.
- Select the update method and begin the update.
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Express Update - Updates all previously installed content to the current versions.
- Modify - Allows you to make changes to what content is installed to the network deployment. For example if you needed to add or remove certain manufacturers but still update the rest of the content.
Clients installed from the network deployment folder are notified of the update the next time their computer restarts. There is an application called CAPSniffer that runs on startup that checks if the network deployment has been updated. When it detects an update, a notification is displayed to the user, giving them the option of running the update. The users can also at anytime browse to the ClientSetup folder and run the Setup.exe file to begin the update immediately.
Best Practices
- If using a Leave on Server Network deployment it is very important that all users are completely closed out of their Office Applications as well as AutoCAD during network deployment updates. If the clients are using the application during the update it can result in catalogs not getting updated. Consider setting up a maintenance window to perform the updates or have a method to ensure no user access during the update. If this proves difficult, an Install Local Deployment type may be best.
- Do not use the folder of the network deployment for other purposes other than the network deployment. For example, do not store project files or software updates in the network deployment folder. If you also network deploy a copy of the software disc create a separate folder for that purpose.
- If possible, use a separate PC other than a client machine to install and maintain the network deployment.
- Users should close all Office applications when performing any updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the network deployment be updated with a download from the website?
A: Yes. We do host individual installation files for each manufacturer available for download on the website. Sometimes these will contain a mid-month update and might require you to download a single manufacturer to update your network deployment. For the download to properly update the network deployment, the file must be ran from the same computer that was last used to update the network deployment. If you happen to run the file on any other machine, then it will only attempt to update that machine, and not the network deployment.
Q: The computer I originally used to install the network deployment is no longer available. Can I use a different computer to update the network deployment with?
A: Yes. When you run the network deployment from the new computer, it will start as if your doing a new installation. You simply need to browse and select the existing network deployment folder. You must choose the folder that contains the existing "2020Catalogs-ServerSetupCookie.xml" file. When you select the correct folder, the 2020Catalogs-ServerSetupCookie.xml file will contain the information of existing network deployment and will select the last used setup options for you. You should then be able to proceed to begin the installation. Once you have done this initial installation, the next time you use this machine it will default to the more streamlined express update mode.
Q: Why am I unable to install catalogs from a network deployment? It indicates Network Client setup can not be run on a system with Office Catalogs already present.
A: This indicates the catalogs were last installed on the system directly from the DVD or downloads. You will need to uninstall the existing catalog installation before you can reinstall the client from the network deployment.
Q: What are the pros and cons of the two different client installation methods?
A: The Access Catalogs on Server method, typically referred to as a Leave on Server Network Deployment, allows the client machines to access the content directly from the shared server folder. This saves a lot of hard drive space on the client machine and is a very quick installation and monthly update for the user as not many files need to be installed directly to the computer. The main disadvantage is that the client machine is required to have access to the server to use the content. If the connection to the server goes down or is not available, such as taking a laptop out of the office, you will not be able to use the content. Also since you are using the content directly from the server, all users of this installation method must be fully closed from the Office applications when a network update is performed.
The Install Catalogs on User's Computer method, typically referred to as an Install Local Network Deployment, installs the content directly to the client computer. The installation experience is similar to installing directly from the downloader itself, except the shared network folder is acting as the installation media. This requires the most hard drive space of the user machine and is typically a longer installation and update process. However, this allows the user to use the software without needing access to the server once it is installed and the network deployment can be updated at any time without needing the users to exit the software.
Q: When I run the network deployment why do I not see my mapped network drives when I can see the drives ok in Windows Explorer?
A: The network deployment installs using elevated permissions. Most computers are configured that mapped network drives will not be available from an elevated prompt. Please refer to this article from Microsoft for more information. We have had good success resolving this issue by adding the EnableLinkedConnections registry value to the registry of the machine doing the network deployment. These steps are at the bottom of the article.