Deploy Intranet App

[IxiRancid]

Hi,

I'm new here, but I've been following this forum for some time now. I'm programming VB.NET applications (just recently got a student job), and my first application for the job is being made.

This is my question:
The application would be set on an Intranet server, the app itself would be permission-set for a few users (4-8).
How should I deploy the application if multiple users try to open it the same time.
(the app is just a "simple" calculator for banking intrests, no database, just some temporary CDFiles)
Perhaps it would be better if the app would be installed locally?

Thanks

 

[Illusion]

Hi,

Welcome to the board

from what I know .NET won't work if you have it on a network drive. It complains about security settings.
If its a small program then put it on local machines, only trouble is when you come to ever update it, then you have to update all of them..
If you have access to Citrix or anything similar then use that to give to the users

Oh and if you go with the local option, make sure they all have the .NET runtimes (about 22mb I think).

Hope it helps and good luck

 

[Menge]

the way to run them on a local network is that you need to set up all the client machines by making them trust your assembly (or eventually trust all assemblies coming from your domain controller) and make the domain controller serve them via http. (that's the easiest way to do that that i can think of right now).

Administrative tools > Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Configuration > My Computer > Runtime Security Policy > Enterprise > Code Groups > [create a new code group for your assemblies] right click All_Code > New...

then you'll configure your rule for such assemblies.
Name is the identification for your code group. Description is up to you too.
on the next page you'll see the condition of belonging to this group. you may want to choose any condition you want as long as it provides the security level you want (i'd choose site since it will trust everything coming from your domain controller address). then enter the address from which your domain controller is serving the EXEs.
after that you'll choose the trust level. if you want the code to be able to do anything, just choose FullTrust. that's it

 

[IxiRancid]

Wow,

Two cool replies!

Illusion: Now that I've read Menge's reply I think I will go with your solution

Menge:
Hmm, that would be more of our sys admins job. But I think your reply deserves all the credit I can give! Just one question though, we have a pretty large network (400+ clients I think), would that slow down my app?

On the second thought, perhpas the easier way would be just to set up a database and pump temporary calculations into that and then flush all the data from a table, that way multiple users could be able to use the app at the same time (of course the app would be run locally).
(but, should I apply those settings you recomended anyways?)

Thanks again!

 

[Menge]

Hmm, that would be more of our sys admins job. But I think your reply deserves all the credit I can give! Just one question though, we have a pretty large network (400+ clients I think), would that slow down my app?

Yes. sys admins of the clients would have to set up their machines individually to trust your assembly (or domain). about the network size, the apps will only get downloaded if:
1) the file the client has is outdated. (there's a new version out)
2) the client does not have the file.

and the the client only accesses the server when first loading the assembly. once the file is downloaded, it's kept in cache. so theoretically, your client could even run the app if your server is offline or the client is offline

if you want to know more about this, Google for "Smart Clients". there's plenty of information out there.