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Method #2—Manual Installation
This method works best if you have never enabled Apple Remote Desktop on your clients and have an existing software distribution infrastructure. This method also allows for the greatest power and configuration flexibility. Also, if you don’t want Apple Remote Desktop to upgrade your clients using the Upgrade Client Software feature, you can perform a manual upgrade.
The custom installer not only installs the needed software but also prepares and configures the client computer for administration and can be configured to add or edit user names and passwords for Apple Remote Desktop authentication.
To manually upgrade the client software:
1Use Remote Desktop to create a client software installer package.
For detailed instructions, see “Creating a Custom Client Installer” on page 44.
2Copy and install the package on the client computers. You need the name and password of a user with administrator privileges on the computer to install the package.
There are several ways to do this. For example, you can:
ÂDistribute the package by removable media, such as a CD.
ÂCopy the installer to the clients over the network using file sharing.
ÂCopy the installer to the clients using
ÂAdd the custom installer package to a Network Install image, using System Image Utility to automatically include the software and your custom settings when clients install the operating system using Mac OS X Server 10.4’s NetBoot and Network Install features.
Warning: Custom install packages that create user names contain sensitive password data. Take care to store such custom installers securely.
Upgrading Apple Remote Desktop Clients Using SSH
You may not be able to or want to use Remote Desktop to upgrade existing clients to Apple Remote Desktop 3. If the clients have SSH enabled (called Remote Login in System Preferences), and are available on the network, you can still upgrade the client computers.
You still need to use Remote Desktop to create a custom installer package. You also need the user name and password of a user with system administrator privileges on the client computer.
Chapter 3 Installing Apple Remote Desktop
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