Re: Opinions wanted regarding how to install ISV software -- MIDRANGE-L

I've been doing it Roll your Own for 20 years. No issues. I looked into
the IBM methods too but after 20 minutes said "nope...".

We also do our own licensing methods for keys which allows us to be
flexible with them. Permanent keys for a partition, subscription licenses
or trial licenses.

If you can make a nice install program to do most of the dirty work for
installs and upgrades, that helps.

Installs are normally as easy as RSTLIB (and possibly one more RST for IFS
objects if they are there).

Upgrades are rename old library, install new library and either run an
update program or a few commands to copy and paste to save settings (if
applicable).

Service packs for our software are normally as simple as RSTOBJ.

I've found the thing people have the most problems with is FTPing the save
file to their machine. But, I have detailed instructions I point them to
for that.

Also, customers do either 1 of 3 things:

1. Restore to our own product library and use. (good)
2. Restore and move all objects to their own GP library (not bad, but not
ideal for updates)
3. Restore and put the library in the system library list (very bad..
especially for updates, but we have instructions for updating if they do
that as well).

I've seen pretty much everything over the years. :) Good, bad and ugly..
but most is Good! I think the reason being is that most IBM i users
installing the software are comfortable with RSTxxx commands.

I am thinking of doing auto updates as well, but that would mean a larger
distributed object for each application. These days with bandwidth and
disk space it's not much of an issue, but back when I started it was.

But if you're starting from square one, it may be a good idea to put
together some sort of auto update mechanism. Something that can check for
updates, and if they exist retrieve the updates from your server, unzip
them and install them.

My .02.

Brad
www.bvstools.com

On Fri, Jan 1, 2016 at 2:26 PM, Nathan Andelin <nandelin@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've been considering 2 alternatives. One option is to use IBM "System
Manager" to package products which can be installed by using the RSTLICPGM
command. Another option is to package products into "save" files and have
shops use RSTLIB with a custom INSTALL command to complete the
installation.

IBM's System Manager approach seems like something of a dark art. The
documentation is minimal, old, conceptually challenging, and much of it is
out of date. The product is out of date. IBM evidently uses it as a basis
for OS releases and PTFs. Why doesn't IBM update it's "package manager"?

With a custom approach to managing products, packages, and fixes I would at
least have a handle on the process. But that would require quite a bit of
effort and time. In the Windows world, products like Install Shield fill
that kind of need.

What approach would you recommend?
--
This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing list
To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.