InfoCenter

Cached Client Settings

Basic Options
Upgrade Options

Basic Options

Debug installation process?

Debugs the process of downloading and installing the cached client or Web Start client. You should only use this option if working with IBM Service.

Enter the size of the progress indicator frame

Specifies the width and height (both in pixels) of the progress indicator frame for the download process. If you plan to customize this frame, you might want to resize it.

The default width is 550 pixels. The default height is 250 pixels.

Upgrade Options

Control user upgrades:

Specify how to control user upgrades when a new version of the cached client or Web Start is available. If you have a large number of users who access this page at the same time, having them all upgrade at once might put a strain on your network.

For load-balancing purposes, you can control the upgrade process by specifying that only a certain percent of users can upgrade at a time. If you specify that only a certain percent of users can upgrade at a time, when the user accesses the page, a random number is generated. If this random number falls between 0 and the specified percent, they are allowed to upgrade. If it does not, then the upgrade process is postponed until the next time the user accesses the page, at which time another random number is generated. As the number of users who have not been upgraded using this process declines, you might want to raise the percentage to 100 to ensure that all users are upgraded.

You can also specify two independent percentages. One of the percentages is effective only during a specified time period. The other percentage is the default for any time outside of the specified time period. You may want a lower percentage during daytime hours because of increased network traffic and a higher percentage for hours when network traffic decreases. The clock used to compute the current time is always the client workstation and not the server, so you should account for different time zones. If you enable this specified time period, the client determines if the current time is between the specified start and end times. If it is, the client uses the percentage that you specified for that time period. If the current time is not between the specified start and end times, it uses the default percentage. You do not have to specify a start and end time.

You can also control the upgrade process by creating a script (such as a PERL script) that determines whether the user should be upgraded. For example, the user's IP address could be queried, and if it falls within a certain range, the user can be upgraded. The script must return the string "upgrade" for the user to be upgraded. Enter the URL to the script file to use this option.

The default is to allow all users to upgrade. To disable the clients from upgrading, set the upgrade percentages to 0.

Upgrade Option:

Specify how to upgrade the cached client or Web Start client.

Upgrade in foreground
If you choose Upgrade in foreground, users are forced to upgrade and cannot use the cached client or Web Start client until the new version is installed. They must restart the browser after the new version is installed.

Upgrade in background
If you choose Upgrade in background, users are forced to upgrade, but can still use the older version of the cached client or Web Start client while the new version is downloaded. This might be preferred when users work over a slow connection and cannot wait until the upgrade process completes to begin working. They must restart the browser once after the new components are downloaded and again after the new components are installed.

Prompt user
If you choose Prompt user, users are prompted whether to upgrade in the foreground or background. They can also choose to cancel and not upgrade at that time. If they cancel, they will be prompted again to upgrade the next time they load this page until they do upgrade.

The default is Prompt user.

Note If you upgrade the Host On-Demand server to a new version and you want to use the upgrade controls, make sure that you do not make any additions to the Preload Options at the same time (see Preload Options). If the client detects that a new component has been added, then the client code will treat the upgrade as a new "install" (because there is a component specified that is not currently installed) rather than as an "upgrade", and will ignore the upgrade controls.