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A toolkit based approach to engineering from the plan, build and run phases of a environment deployment encourages teamwork, sharing of outcomes, effective testing and defect resolution, and avoids redundancy and rework. Toolkits form part of the building blocks of standardized builds and automation that enable organizations to gain full return on their technology investment.
API has been successful in translating this approach to common network desktop initiatives where the following aspects were achieved:
Access to anywhere from anywhere through a robust Windows network, a common network desktop, or thin client architecture. Each user is provided access his or her own applications and data from any workstation without requiring technical intervention. This facilitates the movement of people and workstations within an enterprise.
Reduced technology support costs by providing a common network desktop, consistently updated workstation configurations, and quick turnaround on hardware and software trouble calls. This approach reduces the end user training curve, and provides technology support personnel with a standard and supportable environment.
Automated software distribution and packaging with Tivoli TME 10, HP DTA, Microsoft System Management Server (SMS), Great Lakes Wise, Seagate WinINSTALL, Sysdiff, WinBatch and other tools.
Asset management using third party or built-tools provided by hardware vendors.
System recovery through alternative server and network paths and replication. Applications and critical user files are stored on servers, effectively providing for potential disaster and business recovery.
Remote Control of the servers and clients via remote control software like PCAnywhere or MS Windows Terminal Server.
A baseline integrated suite of applications for the enterprise including common office automation and groupware applications, packaged enterprise applications (such as SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle Applications, BAAN), custom client server applications, and an application platform where applications developed in and requiring common databases such as Oracle, SQL Server and Sybase, common middleware such as COM+, Corba, ODBC, Web Services, and common front-end applications such as Visual Basic and Visual Age, can be deployed.
Baseline hardware integration for the company's supported hardware standards.
Network integration of major network hardware components including the implementation of network services (DNS, DHCP, Directory, Authentication), proxies, firewall, wireless connectivity, and virus protection.
Key Components
Automated workstation installation routines and thin client implementations provide consistent and cost-effective deployment of desktop operating systems and integrated applications. In the event of software or hardware problems, deployment of a replacement desktop takes the place of costly and time-consuming troubleshooting by support personnel.
Automated server installation routines support wide-scale UNIX or Windows server deployments across an enterprise. These routines include not only the base OS and its services, but also management components and server products including monitors, agents, high availability and antivirus program and backup software. In the event of unrecoverable failure, automated server build tools are used to rebuild servers in their appropriate roles.
Support for roaming and application server functionality identifies the primary and backup application servers that are closest to a workstation connection.
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