To specify a date on which the package's storage period at the relay system is to expire, select the radio button for Package expiration at the relay system and specify the date. Enter only the last two digits of the year. When the specified date is reached, the package stored in the relay system is deleted automatically. If a package with a storage period that has already expired or is expiring the same day is distributed, it is deleted the next day.

If this check box is not selected, the package will be stored in the relay system for the duration of the default value; the system default is 90 days, but you can change the default value in the Customize Default Settings dialog box (for details, see 2.2.16 Customizing the packaging environment).

In actual operation, a package should be retained until it has been installed at all applicable clients in the relay system. If it requires three weeks to distribute and install a package, then a date more than three weeks in the future should be specified here.

To specify the date and time at which the package is to be installed at the client, select the radio button for Installation date/time and specify the date and time. Enter only the last two digits of the year.

In the background installation mode, when installation involves only copying files, or when the remote installation target is a Windows Me or Windows 98 system, the package is installed automatically if the target machine is running. On the other hand, if you are installing the package onto Windows NT in the GUI installation mode using an interactive installer, remote installation does not take place unless the user who installed the client is logged on. In such a case, remote installation can be executed if the client uses the facility for installation with non-Administrator user permissions. For details about the facility for installation with non-Administrator user permissions, see 11.2.3 Installing software using non-Administrator user permissions under Windows NT.

From the pull-down list, select the timing for installing the package at the client.

If the same software is already installed, as in the case of a version upgrade, and the software is running at the time of remote installation, installation will fail. To avoid this, select Install when system starts as the installation timing. This setting also minimizes the impact on client user jobs.

When Install when system starts is selected, or when Normal installation is selected but no date and time are specified, the client can put the job on hold or cancel it. If you wish to avoid this possibility, specify Normal installation and specify an installation date and time. Because the installation process may stop the client's application temporarily, specify a date and time that would have the least impact.

Install when system starts

The package is installed the next time the client system is started. If you specify an installation date and time, the package is installed at the first system startup that follows the specified date and time.

The distribution and installation timing depends on the polling-related setting in the client setup. For details about the relationship between polling settings and distribution/installation timing, see 11.2.2(1) Polling settings.

If you install software that is to be started during startup, remote installation and software startup may occur at the same time, resulting in an error. To avoid this, move the software's shortcut from the Startup group to the Software Distribution Client Startup group. The client can automatically move the shortcut to the Software Distribution Client Startup group if such is provided for in the setup. For details about moving the shortcut to the Software Distribution Client Startup, see 11.2.2(2) Moving startup programs.

Normal installation

The package is installed while the client's system is running. If you specify an installation date and time, the package is installed at the specified date and time. If the client is not running at the specified date and time, the package is installed at the next system startup.

Install when system stops

A package is installed when the client system stops. If you specify an installation date and time, the package is installed at the first system startup that follows the specified date and time.

Note that this item can be specified in the Change Installation Conditions dialog box displayed from the Software Distribution window of Remote Installation Manager. You can also specify this item for package installation at a UNIX client. If you specify this item for a package for a Windows client, a job execution error occurs.