CASE STUDY Designing a Software Distribution Solution for
CASE STUDY Designing a Software Distribution Solution for Mobile Users Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Intro As the number of mobile and low-bandwidth connected users increases, the challenge of managing software distributions becomes more complex. By looking up front at the needs of the highly mobile user population, Pathnet - a Reston VA based telecommunications firm, was able to implement a single software distribution solution to cover users with distinctly different connectivity requirements. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
What You Will Learn • Techniques used to provide software distributions to highly mobile, lowbandwidth, frequently disconnected users. • How to architect a software distribution solution to service varied user communities. • How to leverage a mobile software distribution architecture to provide other systems management services. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Pathnet Background • A "next generation" carriers' carrier providing competitive local access services and high capacity, digital transport to under-served and second- and third-tier U. S. cities. • Provide service to inter-exchange carriers, local exchange carriers, Internet service providers, Regional Bell Operating Companies, cellular operators and resellers. • Over 7, 000 route miles of completed network and 1, 200 route miles of network under construction. • Additional information: www. pathnet. net Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Callisto Background • Callisto Software, Inc. creates solutions for Information Technology groups to help them manage and support their organizations' growing, distributed mobile computing environments. • Callisto launched its first product in 1997 with the introduction of Orbiter, a mobile systems management solution that provides software distribution, hardware and software inventory, troubleshooting, file retrieval, and other functions that help IT manage mobile systems. • Additional information: www. callisto. com Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Yellow. Brix Background • Yellow. Brix offers a full solution set to help dot coms and enterprise organizations shift strategies from building traffic and page views to retaining users, building customer relationships and enhancing revenues. • Yellow. Brix intelligent solutions, three main categories: – Content Services — Real-time, relevant content for any audience, via email or the Web. – Contextual Commerce — Point-of-interest selling on the Web. – Personalization — Individualized Web pages, personalized Web environments. • Customers include: CNNfn, MSNBC, ZDNet, Go. Network, AOL, Network Solutions, Anderson Consulting, Monster. com • Additional information: www. yellowbrix. com Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Problem - Requirements • Pathnet needed a software distribution and configuration management system for three main groups of systems: – Nationwide Network of Surveillance Servers – Mobile (Laptop) Users – Desktop Computer System Users Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Surveillance Network • Nationwide network of servers that provided surveillance on the telecommunications wireless / fiber network, 20 servers. • Servers gathered fault and performance data on the telecommunications network and sent that data back to the network operations center. • Link was via frame relay, only low 56 Kbps circuits in almost all cases, surveillance traffic the priority. • Running Microsoft Windows NT Server 4. 0 on DC-powered Nortech brand servers. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Pathnet Network Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Surveillance Network Diagram Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Mobile Laptop Users • More and more of a common situation. • More than ½ of the workforce had laptops. • Many remote users who did not visit the office, sales personnel especially. • Some laptop users connected via DSL or cable modem, but most were via dialup using either their ISP and a VPN or via our remote access server. • Typical connections from 33, 600 bps to 56, 000 bps. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Desktop Systems • High speed local area network. • All systems running Windows NT workstation, version 4. • Standardized on brand, but components changed at times. • Desktop systems were a minority in the workplace as compared to laptops. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Requirements • • Limit Impact on Bandwidth Ease of Use Implementation / Deployment Ability to track progress Support Cost Scheduling of Jobs Desire for Single Solution Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Product Experience • Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) • Intel LANDesk Manager • Callisto Orbiter • Other Techniques Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Product Decision • Decision to stop deployment of SMS and switch to Orbiter. • Installed and running and functional all in one day. • Used one day of install consultant support. • Ability to meet identified needs and in a fast manner. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Impact • Pushed NT service packs onto surveillance servers all completed in two days. • Distribution of anti-virus updates. • Configuration management of servers. • Application upgrades such as Microsoft Office 2000. • A single solution for all servers, laptops, and desktops. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Product Features • Callisto Orbiter provided the following: – Software Distribution – Software and Hardware Inventory – File Retrieval – Troubleshooting Tools – Virus and Disk Management – Job Scheduling – Event Management – Mobile Architecture Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Mobile Architecture • Optimized for Low-Bandwidth Connection. – checkpoint restart and bandwidth throttling – compression and “delta” technology • Offline Operation. – jobs run at client when disconnected – queued messaging • Transparent to the end user. • Technology uses TCP/IP or e-mail. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Main Benefits • • • Low Bandwidth Use Configuration Management Cost Laptop Support Ease of Use 5 5 4 5 client side processing of files distributed architecture status and reporting bandwidth sensitivity price implementation and documentation Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Installation Support • One Day of Onsite Support – – – – – install client software onto our lab system verify installation of server component on our server check configuration of the server run through procedure to push out software updates hardware inventory procedure and uses software inventory process and uses show the use of other product functions give tips on use of the software provide info on deployment issues Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Current Product Version • Orbiter Released version 3. 5 – File Retrieval – Expanded Hardware Inventory – Support for Microsoft SQL Server – Console Security – Improved Client Deployment Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Other Uses of Solution • Prep of new laptop and desktop systems. • Synchronization of data from file servers to sales personnel laptops. • Desktop computer configuration management and support. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Topic Review • Techniques used to provide software distributions to highly mobile, lowbandwidth, frequently disconnected users. • How to architect a software distribution solution to service varied user communities. • How to leverage a mobile software distribution architecture to provide other systems management services. Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
For More Information Feel free to send email with questions or comments to either: Steve Delahunty sdelahunty@yellowbrix. com www. yellowbrix. com visit Yellow. Brix booth Paul Hartge phartge@callisto. com www. callisto. com visit Callisto booth Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
Questions? Steve Delahunty – Director of Operations – Yellow. Brix Paul Hartge – President – Callisto Software Summit on Wireless Computing, Orlando, September 2000
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