Installing from a Web Server

You can now set up a Novell client installation from any web server by completing the following steps:

1.	Copy the complete \WINNT or \WIN95 directory structure to the desired location on the web server. This structure is created when you extract the Novell Client files from the ZIP file downloaded from http://download.novell.com. You can place the files on up to five web servers in order to provide faster access.
2.	From a Windows workstation, run WRITEIP.EXE. Using the WriteIP utility, you can create a small executable called SETUPIP that downloads the Novell client install files from a web server IP address and launches the Novell client install routine. There are versions for both Windows 9x and Windows XP/2000, and for all supported Novell Client languages: Windows XP/2000 WRITEIP.EXE is located in \WINNT\i386\admin. Windows 9x WRITEIP.EXE is located in \WIN95\IBM_<lan>\ADMIN\ where <lan> is one of the languages supported by the Novell Client.
3.	In the WriteIP utility (see Figure 4.1), provide the necessary information and click OK. Figure 4.1. The WriteIP utility is used for creating a setup application for installing the Novell Client from a web server. Specify the IP address(es) or DNS name(s) of the web server(s) that host the Novell client files, and the full path to the client files, for example, http://www.quills.com/nwclient. Web servers will be checked in the order listed until a connection is made. Select Choose IP Addresses at Random to help balance the load of the Novell client downloads across all participating web servers. Specify download options for the client installation. Files can be downloaded to a temporary or a specific directory. Unchecking Delete Install Files After Install Is Complete will leave the Novell Client installation files on the workstation after the installation is complete. Allow User to Change the Download Directory lets the user specify the copy location of the Novell client files and change the default location. Specify the client install options. The Service Pack Install option lets you add service pack files to the web installation as Novell releases them. Both the new client software and any service pack software are downloaded and will be installed if needed. Automatic Client Upgrade permits the client install to run only if the Novell Client software being installed is a later version than the one currently installed on the workstation. Specify an unattended configuration file in order to fully automate the installation routine. For more information on creating this file, see the section on Novell Client Install Manager (NCIMan) later in this chapter.

SETUPIP.EXE will be created based on the options you have selected. You can then distribute SETUPIP.EXE from a corporate website, through email, or by whatever method is most convenient.

When a user launches SETUPIP.EXE, the Novell Client software will be downloaded from the specified web server, and the client installation routine will run.