[wpkg-users] ideas for WPKG Client 1.2

[Tomasz Chmielewski]

I wanted to get some ideas for WPKG Client 1.2.

The planned features are:

1. Laptop mode.
Some of you complained that if logon delay is enabled and the server is 
unreachable (because that client machine is a laptop unplugged from a 
network), users have to wait for too long. This happens for several 
reasons - trying to resolve DNS name, wrong routing etc.

The idea with "laptop mode" is to try to reach a server for few seconds 
(3 seconds default, configurable), and if it fails (no connection, no 
reply etc.), discontinue further execution (skip logon delay, don't 
execute any actions).

Here we have two configurable options:
* server IP or name, OR
* custom script - execute a custom scrip/program; if it exits with a 
non-zero code, consider it a failure. The rationale behind a custom 
script is that a client can have a connection to the server, but it's a 
slow dial-up connection. Installing something big over a dial-up is 
certainly not a good idea. Of course, it is up to the administrator to 
write such a custom script.

Both options can have maximum waiting time specified.


2. Configuration check/validation.
So you configured your new WPKG Client setup, exported the configuration 
to 100 clients, and you notice that it doesn't work at all on any of the 
machines. Why? Because you made a typo in the password (or server name, 
share path, you name it).

Let's push the button and test if our settings are OK then!


Executing as DOMENA\Admin                     [FAILED]
Connecting to \\server\wpkg as DOMENA\me       [OK]
Trying to read \\server\wpkg\wpkg.js           [OK]
Trying to read \\server\wpkg\program-pre.bat   [OK]

etc. for everything that can potentially fail.


3. New reboot behaviour.
Right now, when wpkg.js schedules a reboot, 2 minutes have to pass 
before the reboot is actually initiated (one can see a system window 
that the reboot is scheduled). But why wait and waste 2 precious minutes 
if nobody is logged on?
The plan is to:
- wait 10 (or 15) seconds if nobody is logged on
- wait 2 minutes if a user is already logged on


Part 3 is "transparent" and not configurable.
Parts 1 and 2 are configurable, you can see the prototype here (just 
download it, start, and post your observations here):

http://wpkg.org/files/wpkginst.exe

What do you think? Comments? Some other suggestions for wording used in 
this WPKG Client prototype (yes, "laptop mode active" sounds silly? 
"Activate laptop mode" sounds better, doesn't it)?



-- 
Tomasz Chmielewski
http://wpkg.org


Easy Software Deployment >> http://wpkg.org
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