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Currently all ACS installs are manual at deployment of a user's PC and manual updates as needed if the user reports any issues and we notice they are on an older version.
We have tried to package ACS into an EXE file that could be deployed through a distribution service such as Kace or InTune. This failed due to the need to install under a user's desktop environment the way the installation javascript works. We have found IBM documentation since that has explicitly stated that this kind of distribution is not supported.
In order to use the built in update functionality there are currently a couple of options:
Open the base ACS application and press the Check for Updates button
Schedule execution of:C:\Users\Public\IBM\ClientSolutions\Start_Programs\Windows_x86-64\acslaunch_win-64.exe /PLUGIN=installupdates /noprompt
The issue with both of these options is that the check can only look to the IFS (whether using the default location or another specified location) to see if an update is available but you need to supply credentials in order to access the IFS. The issue with this is that if I am not signed into ACS application, the check will not find any update because it cannot connect to the IBMi. Only the IT Systems team ever uses the base ACS application, for users, we deploy a pre-configured HOD file for 5250 emulation which does not trigger an update check of any kind.
A couple of ideas on how to make this product more easily deployable in a corporate setting:
Make install available via an exe that can be executed in a deployment service such as Kace or InTune. This would likely require changes to the java script that is used that currently cannot be installed via these services.
Provide the ability to put ACS images on a non-IFS network location such as a Windows server that the user already has access to. This means that the update check would not depend on logging into the IBMi on an update check through the /PLUGIN function if scheduled through a Windows scheduled task or other service.
Extend update services to 5250 emulation. This would allow someone already signed into the IBMi via 5250 emulation to either check for update or provide a scheduled task/service that would trigger the /PLUGIN function to check for an update.
This would not help for installs where users don't regularly sign on the IBMi but would be better than what we have now.
Idea priority | High |
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IBM Power Systems Development
IBM Power Systems Development
IBM Power Systems Development
The CAAC has reviewed this IBM Idea and recommends that IBM not implement this request.
Although there is much information on installing ACS, it does seem that adding the ability to check for update in 5250 is a good idea.
Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual IBM Ideas on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your Idea.
For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac
Carmelita Ruvalcaba - CAAC Program Manager
Hi, if I have understood your idea correctly, then your suggestion for Option 3 is already how ACS update works if as long as you are NOT using the connection option "Prompt for user name and password every time".
I would recommend you use "Use default user name to prompt once for each system"
More details in the video below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoMJJbsxJ_U
If you wanted to go one stage further you could configure single sign-on and you will not need to sign on at all.
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=sign-configuring-single
Hope this helps
Steve Bradshaw,
Member of CEAC, TD of i-UG.co.uk & Friendly Techie at RowtonIT.com
There is a relatively simple way to keep the installation up to date.
Install the acsbundle.jar with properties file on a windows server and
install hod and kmp ( session and keyboard definition ) in a folder on the PC.
When ACS is installed on the PC you define a system environment variable
SETX acsbundle "\\myServer\Running\IBMiAccess_v1r1_1.1.9.4\acsbundle.jar" /M
Then you install the hod and kmp files in a folder the user has right to access on the PC for example
"%userprofile%\ACS\IBM\"
In the same folder where the hod and kmp files are located you create a bat file that executes this
start javaw.exe -Xmx1024m -jar "%acsbundle%" "%USERPROFILE%\ACS\IBM\iAccessClient\Emulator\myIBMi.hod"
It starts Java, uses the reference from the environment variable and tells it to use myIBMi.hod
Of course a shortcut has been created on the desktop to the bat file.
Now comes the fun part.
IBM has now published a new version of ACS ( ie version 1.1.9.5 ).
You prepare and install it on the windows server in the folder
\\myServer\Running\IBMiAccess_v1r1_1.1.9.5\
Then a GPO ( Group Policy Objects ) is sent out modifying
acsbundle to point to "\\myServer\Running\IBMiAccess_v1r1_1.1.9.5\acsbundle.jar"
And then everybody are using the new version after a restart of the PC and the old version can be archieved.
The installation process can be reduced to two bat files.
setting the environment variable acsbundle
requires administrator rights
installing the hod and kmp files should be done with the user logged in.
And the best part?
Everybody are happy. It reduces the work for my colleagues and works for my users.