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Repackaging and Application Migration Using AdminStudio 10.0 ADS-1000-TG00 43

Preparing for Application Migration

This chapter describes the typical steps relevant to preparing for the application migration process. Before you begin the repackaging process, it is strongly recommended that you perform the following tasks.

Table 2-1 • Steps to Prepare for an Application Migration

Step Description

Defining the Storage Structure Define the Application Migration storage directory structure.

Setting Up Your Testing Image Define your standard images for the development and the test machines.

Preparing Project Documentation Define an Installation Flow and Options document, and an Acceptance Test document.

Running Repackager on a Clean Machine

Copy Repackager and OS Snapshot to a shared network location.

Editing Exclusion Lists Open the Global Exclusions Editor and edit the global exclusion lists.

This chapter is an excerpt from the training manual "Repackaging and Application Migration Using AdminStudio 10.0." For information about purchasing this training manual and to learn about other training materials, please visit http://www.flexerasoftware.com.

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationDefining the Storage Structure

44 ADS-1000-TG00 Repackaging and Application Migration Using AdminStudio 10.0

Defining the Storage StructureIt is good practice to have a formalized directory structure in which to store the files that are generated during the application migration process.

Typically, you should name the root directory of your application migration storage structure something relevant to the application being repackaged, such as:

Product-Name\Product-Version\Language

You would then create subdirectories to store the repackaged installation while it is under development, while it is being tested, and when it is completed.

It is suggested that subdirectories for a project be named something similar to the following.

Tip • It can be useful to place the storage-structure directories on a shared network drive, instead of on the local

system.

Table 2-2 • Suggested Project Subdirectories

Subdirectory Description

\1_LegacyInstallation This directory should contain a copy of the original legacy installation program media.

\2_RepackagerAndSourceFiles This directory will store the .inc file (and other Repackager output) containing the changes captured by Repackager after running the legacy installation on the standard image.

\3_ProjectFiles This directory will store the InstallShield Editor project (.ism file) generated from the .inc file. You may want to create subdirectories in this folder to store different versions of the .ism project at different stages of the cleanup process.

\4_CompletedMSI This directory stores the completed Windows Installer package.

\5_Documentation This directory might contain an Installation Flow and Options outline, any acceptance-testing documentation, and corporate-standards documents, as well as any repackaging notes (any concerns with file versions, dates, or times, and so forth). Typical application migration documentation is described in the following sections.

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationSetting Up Your Testing Image


The following figure shows a typical directory structure, for an application called SampleApp.

Figure 2-1: Directory Storage Structure for the SampleApp Application

Setting Up Your Testing ImageDuring repackaging, you will generally need to have access to two computers:

• Development environment—A computer in a development environment.

• Testing environment—A computer in a testing environment, ideally connected to the network with access to shared directories. Ideally, these directories should be on a network server.

Development EnvironmentThe development system has AdminStudio installed on it, and is the system on which you will perform application migration tasks such as editing and building Windows Installer packages.

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationPreparing Project Documentation


Testing EnvironmentAs described in Running Repackager on a Clean Machine, you can run the AdminStudio repackaging tool on a test machine over the network. The test machine is a machine with an easily restorable standard operating system image on which you will perform repackaging, create operating system snapshots, and test installation packages.

When setting up your testing environment, follow these best practices:

• Standard image—A standard image is the base case—an operating system image without any end-user changes. It is the minimum possible configuration that all of your end users will have. Any applications that are not common to all of your end users should not be included on the standard image.

• Repackage on a clean image—Ideally, you will repackage on a clean image. A clean image is a standard image (a machine with only the operating system and its service packs installed, with no applications) plus items such as Internet Explorer and the Microsoft .NET Framework—because they are closely tied to the operating system. Using a clean image for packaging ensures that all necessary files are picked up through repackaging because they will not already exist.

• Test in end-users’ environment—You should test in an environment similar to the one that your end users will have because the results of the repackaging process may differ, depending on what is already installed on their machines. This is one of the best ways to ensure that your repackaged installation is robust and behaves predictably on all your end users’ machines.

• Create clean image for each OS target—You need to create a clean image for each operating system that you intend to target. Ideally, you should repackage for each operating system and then combine the differences in one installation (using component conditions, described in Chapter 6, Using InstallShield Editor, to install different files on different operating systems). As described in Chapter 10, Application Management, you will also typically want to create an OS snapshot for each operating system you want to target.

• Do not install AdminStudio on standard image—The standard image should not have AdminStudio installed on it unless your end users will also have it (which is unlikely). As described later in this chapter, Repackager can be run remotely or standalone, separate from the rest of the application.

• Using VMware When Repackaging—Instead of using multiple machines for repackaging, it can be useful to perform repackaging using virtual-machine software such as VMware. Repackager provides a VMware Repackaging Wizard.

Preparing Project DocumentationWhile setting up the testing and development environments is important, it is not the only step in preparing for the application migration process. There are also significant documentation needs in a properly organized application migration project.

• Overview of Documentation

• Defining Installation Flow and Options

• Defining the Acceptance Test

• Other Documentation



Overview of DocumentationDocumentation plays a critical role in the success of an application migration project. This section explains the types of documentation required.

Installation Instructions Are Crucial to Successful Application Migration Projects

Many organizations underestimate the importance of installation instructions, which are crucial not only for the initial repackaging, but also for testing and maintenance. You will want to efficiently store your validation and build logs, as well as any conflict reports, applications standards reports, and testing guidelines.

Failing to allot time for gathering and creating these documents is one of the most common pitfalls of application migration projects. Typically, the list of applications, installation instructions, and testing guidelines must be gathered from diverse business units. You may also want to build application standards templates. Coordinating and executing this phase of the project can be time consuming, and your project plan should allow adequate time for this.

Many large application migration projects encounter initial delays in simply trying to compile the list of applications to be repackaged. Few enterprises have a single source for this information. This is especially complex for global companies with geographically and/or functionally diverse organizational units. It is essential for a central repackaging group to appoint communication liaisons from every business unit to help build this list.

In addition to identifying the applications that are being used, you also need to determine basic information about them, including whether they are internally or externally developed, and which applications already use Windows Installer and which are in legacy installation formats.

Although often overlooked, complete and accurate installation instructions are the key to successful repackaging. These instructions include vital information for everyone involved with repackaging and/or testing.

Types of Required Project Documentation

Project documentation includes:

• A detailed outline or flow chart defining how the application should be installed.

• The type of installation (database, client-server, and so forth).

• Any passwords or serial numbers required.

• The default installation directory.

• Installation prerequisites or dependencies.

• If appropriate, screen captures of key installation dialog boxes.



Testing Guidelines

After you have the installation instructions, you need to develop testing guidelines, which provide a detailed description of the application test procedures. Usually, the packaging team will also define standard tests that are performed on all migrated applications. These tests may include items such as:

• Validation

• Conflict analysis

• Installation/uninstallation

• Functionality smoke tests

Additionally, this task will require cooperation with your liaisons to define use cases and/or other instructions to test full product functionality.

Application Standards Template

In order to ensure enterprise-wide consistency across your entire migration project, you may also need to create an application standards template. This template provides the common resources from which your newly created packages can be built. It can include:

• Information regarding the Add or Remove Programs data

• Support information

• Bookkeeping registry data

• Common installation resources such as files and standard exclusions

Project documentation should be stored in the Documentation (or 5_Documentation) subdirectory of your project's storage structure.

Note • To assist your organization with organizing and managing your software packaging and deployment

process, AdminStudio offers AdminStudio Workflow Manager (described in Appendix D, Workflow Manager, Report

Center, and Job Manager), a scalable Web-based application management system that gives you control over your

software package management process. Workflow Manager enables your organization to work together to quickly

prepare software for deployment while ensuring best practices are always followed.

Defining Installation Flow and OptionsAn Installation Flow and Options document outlines any user input required while running the legacy installation.

• An experienced end user of the software should provide this information. If there is someone within your organization who has ownership for the application, they can provide these details.

• If you need to gather the options yourself, you should run the legacy installation and note every piece of user input required during the installation. This results in an Installation Flow and Options document.



This step ensures that you know how to respond to each dialog box displayed during the legacy installation. Recording the input will ultimately save time when you run the legacy installation during repackaging. It also ensures that the installation is performed and thus captured correctly during repackaging, and makes the process more efficient.

All input information should be verified and any prompt for which there is no input must cause the legacy installation to be rejected for repackaging. For example, if a serial number is required during an installation and the application owner has not provided it, the application repackaging cannot be completed. Therefore, the installation would have to be rejected for repackaging.

Ideally, this document should include screen captures (press Alt+Print Screen while the dialog box is on the screen, and then paste the bitmap into a word processing document) or notes for each dialog box in the legacy installation. Thus, all input information will be thought out and any issues clarified before starting Repackager.

The Installation Flow and Options document can also contain pre-installation and post-installation steps, such as a requirement that an application be launched immediately after installation. This type of additional information is dependent on the application being repackaged.

Note • Appendix B, Sample Installation Flow and Options Template, contains a sample Installation Flow and

Options document.

Defining the Acceptance TestThe Acceptance or Application Functionality Test outlines the steps that should be taken to verify that the application works as required after the product has been installed using the repackaged installation.

The specifications for this test should come from the application’s owner. It is usually derived from the Installation Flow and Options document, as well as your end users’ knowledge of how the product is used.

Typically, an Acceptance Test at this level details the basic functionality of the application, and describes how to test it. The application should be able to perform the tasks outlined in the test successfully before and after repackaging. The user can perform more thorough application tests later.

Tasks included in a typical Acceptance Test document include:

• Verifying all product shortcuts work.

• Verifying the application’s help system works.

• Verifying the basic functionality of the product.

• Verifying the application correctly saves and opens its registered document types.



Other DocumentationAn application migration project will usually include other documentation, including the following:

Table 2-3 • Application Migration Project Documentation List

Document Description

Corporate Standards Corporate standards for product installation directories, such as:

C:\Program Files\CompanyName\ProductName

Shortcut Standards Standards for shortcut locations (such as a Product Name folder inside the All Programs folder of the Start menu).

Add or Remove Programs Support Information

Standards for the Add or Remove Programs support-information settings (such as providing a customized internal help-desk telephone number).

Installation Type Whether installations will be performed silently, or with a full user interface, or at some intermediate level.

Server Locations Documentation of server locations for the finished installation packages.

Distribution Method Documentation of the intended distribution method (Active Directory, SMS, Marimba, and so forth).

Roles and Responsibilities

Definition of different roles and responsibilities in the application-migration process.

Note • This manual occasionally refers to an application owner, a sophisticated user of an application who can verify that it functions correctly.

Status Reports Guidelines for status reports.

Application Owner Information

Application owner contact information (for questions, returns, and escalations).

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationRunning Repackager on a Clean Machine


Running Repackager on a Clean MachineFor the most effective repackaging results, it is recommended you run Repackager remotely from a clean machine. Depending upon your network connectivity, you should install and configure Repackager on a clean machine in one of the following ways:

Installing Remote Repackager on a Clean Machine

If you have network connectivity from a clean machine to a computer that contains an installation of the AdminStudio client tools, you should install “Remote Repackager” on the clean machine.

Important • AdminStudio (including Repackager) must be activated to use this method. In trial (evaluation) mode,

you cannot launch Repackager and Repackaging Wizard remotely.

The procedure for installing Remote Repackager on a clean machine is fully documented in the Repackager Installation Guide. The following major steps are included:

Task: To install Remote Repackager on a clean machine:

1. On the machine where AdminStudio is installed, share the Repackager directory (which is a subfolder of the AdminStudio installation directory) and the AdminStudio Shared directory.

2. On the clean machine, map a network drive to those shared folders on the AdminStudio machine.

3. On the clean machine, open the following directory and launch the Remote Repackager installation:

C:\Program Files\AdminStudio\10.0\Repackager\Remote Repackager\setup.exe

This installation creates desktop shortcuts on the clean machine to launch Repackager and the Repackaging Wizard.

Table 2-4 • Methods to Install and Configure Repackager on a Clean Machine

Repackager Configuration Description

Installing Remote Repackager on a Clean Machine

If you have network connectivity from a clean machine to a computer that contains an installation of the AdminStudio client tools, you should install “Remote Repackager” on the clean machine.

Running the Remote Repackager installation installs the bare minimum number of files onto the clean machine, and it creates shortcuts to launch Repackager and the Repackaging Wizard remotely.

Installing Standalone Repackager on a Clean Machine

If you do not have any network connectivity on the clean machine, or if you do not have network connectivity from the clean machine to a computer that contains an installation of the AdminStudio client tools, you should install “Standalone Repackager” on the clean machine.

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationRunning Repackager on a Clean Machine


4. On the clean machine, launch the Repackaging Wizard by clicking the desktop shortcut.

Important • Because you are running Repackager remotely, the online help topics cannot be viewed.

However, you can view a version of AdminStudio Help Library online at:

http://helpnet.flexerasoftware.com

Installing Standalone Repackager on a Clean Machine

If you do not have any network connectivity on the clean machine, or if you do not have network connectivity from the clean machine to a computer that contains an installation of the AdminStudio client tools, you should install “Standalone Repackager” on the clean machine.

Important • When installing Standalone Repackager, you are prompted to enter a valid, activated serial number.

You cannot install Standalone Repackager in trial (evaluation) mode.

The procedure for installing Standalone Repackager is fully documented in the Repackager Installation Guide. The following major steps are included:

Task: To install Standalone Repackager:

1. Open the AdminStudio installation CD and locate the standalone Repackager installation in the Tools directory:

\Tools\StandaloneRepackager.exe

2. Copy StandaloneRepackager.exe to the clean machine.

3. Launch the setup. The Welcome Panel opens.

4. Proceed through the installation, and enter a your serial number when prompted.

5. When installation is complete, you can launch the Repackaging Wizard or Repackager using the desktop or Start menu shortcuts.

http://helpnet.flexerasoftware.com

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationEditing Exclusion Lists


Editing Exclusion ListsThe Repackager tool ships with a default set of exclusions, which define what system changes should and should not be captured during the repackaging process.

By default, Repackager captures most file changes, registry changes, and .ini file changes made by a legacy installation program. You can use the Exclusions Editor to modify the exclusion settings.

• Types of Exclusions Files: Shared and Custom

• About Exclusions

• Opening the Exclusions Editor from Within the Repackager Interface

• Opening the Exclusions Editor Outside of Repackager

• Adding the Exclusions Editor Icon to the Tools Tab

Types of Exclusions Files: Shared and CustomYou can use the Exclusions Editor to modify two types of exclusions files:

• Shared Exclusions—The shared exclusions file is, by default, the isrepackager.ini file in the AdminStudio Shared directory. This settings file is useful when you are working in a team environment, where the exclusion list needs to be stored in a central location.

• Custom Exclusions—You can create custom exclusions file for a specific package or group of packages.

In practice, you will open the Shared Exclusions file and save any changes back to the shared directory from which you run Repackager.

About ExclusionsThe Files, INI Files, and Registry tabs of the Exclusions Editor contain lists of data that should never be included in a repackaged installation.

The Exclusions Editor can be open in one of two ways:

• From within the Repackager interface—You first open a project in Repackager, and then select Properties on the Project menu. On the Exclusions tab of the Project Properties dialog box, you select an exclusions file to edit and then click Edit to open the Exclusions Editor. See Opening the Exclusions Editor from Within the Repackager Interface.

• From outside of Repackager—You can open the Exclusions Editor by locating and executing the following file:

C:\Program Files\AdminStudio\10.0\Repackager\AnalysisOptions.exe



The Files tab of the Exclusions Editor opens without an exclusions file open. See Opening the Exclusions Editor Outside of Repackager.

Figure 2-2: Files Tab of the Exclusions Editor

The default exclusion list contains, for example, the following entries:

• Any files written to the target system’s Temp folder, Temporary Internet Files folder, Recent folder, History folder, Recycle Bin, or browser Cookies folder.

• Values written to many Windows Explorer registry keys, such as recent-documents lists, performance-related data, menu-order information, and so forth.

• Transient data such as font caches, Task Scheduler results, and hardware-status information.

• Uninstallation log files and registry data created by popular legacy installation-development systems (such as the various versions of InstallShield Professional). This data is omitted because Windows Installer creates its own uninstallation information.

• Files related to Repackager.

Narrowing the analysis options (as appropriate) can speed up the repackaging process. If you make any changes to a settings file, you can select Save from the File menu to save it in the open file, or select Save As on the File menu to save the settings in a new file.



Opening the Exclusions Editor from Within the Repackager Interface

The Exclusions Editor can be launched from within the Repackager interface by performing the following steps.

Task: To open the Exclusions Editor from within the Repackager interface:

1. Open a project in Repackager.

2. On the Project menu, select Properties. The Project Properties dialog box opens.

3. Open the Exclusions tab. You are prompted to edit the exclusions file stored in the AdminStudio Shared location or to select a custom exclusions file.

4. On the Exclusions tab, do one of the following:

• To edit the default exclusions file, select Use settings from the shared location and click Edit.

• To edit a custom exclusions file, select Use settings from a custom file, browse to the file you want to open (if it is not listed), and click Edit.



The Files tab of the Exclusions Editor opens, with the appropriate exclusions file open.

5. Make edits to the file.

6. Save your edits and close the Exclusions Editor by clicking OK.



Opening the Exclusions Editor Outside of RepackagerThe Exclusions Editor can be launched from within the Repackager interface by performing the following steps:

Task: To open the Exclusions Editor from outside of Repackager:

1. Launch the Exclusions Editor by locating and executing the following file:


The Files tab of the Exclusions Editor opens without an exclusions file open.



2. Perform one of the following to open an exclusions file:

• Shared Exclusions—To edit the shared exclusions file, on the Files menu, point to Open and click Shared Exclusions. The exclusions in the shared exclusions file are now listed on the Files tab.

• Custom Exclusions—To create a new custom exclusions file, on the Files menu, click New. A default set of exclusions is listed.

3. Make edits to the open exclusions file.

4. Save the file by selecting Save on the File menu.

5. If you were creating a custom exclusions file, specify a name and location for this exclusions file and click Save.



Adding the Exclusions Editor Icon to the Tools TabBy default, the Exclusions Editor icon does not appear in the Tools tab of the AdminStudio interface. To add an Exclusions Editor icon to the Tools tab, perform the following steps:

Task: To display the Global Exclusions Editor icon in the Tools panel:

1. Open the AdminStudio Tools tab.

2. Right-click in the Tools panel and select Add Tool from the context menu. The Welcome panel of the Add Tool Wizard opens.



3. Click Next. The Tools Properties panel opens.

4. Set the Target field to the following file:


5. In the Name in Tools Gallery field, type Exclusions Editor.

6. Leave the Command Line Argument, Working Directory, Comments, and HTML Explanation File fields empty and click Next. The Command-Line Configurations panel opens.

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationSummary


7. Click Finish. The Exclusions Editor icon is now displayed in the Tools Gallery.

Note • When you open the Exclusions Editor by clicking its icon on the Tools tab, the Files tab of the Exclusions

Editor opens without an exclusions file open. Follow the instructions in Opening the Exclusions Editor Outside of

Repackager to open either the shared exclusions file or a custom exclusions file.

SummaryIn this chapter, you have seen the basic steps to perform in order to prepare for the application-migration process. These steps include:

• Creating a project storage directory structure.

• Defining a standard image.

• Creating project documentation.

• Copying the Repackager directory to a shared network location.

In the next chapter, Creating Workflow Templates and Projects, you will learn about AdminStudio workflows, which are hierarchical checklists of application migration steps to perform.

Chapter 2: Preparing for Application MigrationSummary


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