10.3 Configuring a Separate Web Server to Deploy the Filr Desktop Application

By default, the Filr server is configured to deploy the Filr desktop application and to provide the auto-update information. As a best practice to minimize the load on the Filr server, we recommend that you set up a separate web server and configure it to deploy the desktop application and provide the auto-update information.

  1. Set up a web server as a host for the Filr desktop application auto-update information.

    This web server must be set up so that it does not require authentication.

  2. Download and extract the NovellFilrAutoUpdate.tgz file onto the web server.

    This compressed file contains all of the files required for installing the Filr desktop application.

  3. (Conditional) If you have Windows XP workstations in your environment that will run Filr, you need to rename a couple files so that they are used instead of the default files.

    IMPORTANT:Because Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 is not supported on Windows XP, the NovellFilrSetup-winxp-version.exe and novellfilr/windows/x86/version-winxp.json files are provided for organizations that have workstations that are running Windows XP. This version of Filr contains Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 instead of 4.5.

    The only difference between this version of Filr and the version that runs Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 is that the Filr tab is not available from the Windows Properties dialog box.

    1. Rename the version.json file to version-x86.json (or any other name of your choosing).

    2. Rename the version-winxp.json file to version.json.

  4. (Optional) Ensure that you can access the files on your web server through one of the following methods:

    • From a browser

      For example:

      http://web_server_address/desktopap/novellfilr/windows/x64/version.json

    • From a command line

      For example, from the Web server, SSH to the Filr appliance and run the following command:

      #wget http://web_server_address/desktopapp/novellfilr/windows/x64/version.json

  5. Configure the Filr desktop application as described in Section 10.2.1, Configuring the Filr Desktop Application for All Users.

    In the Auto-update URL field, specify one of the following URLs, depending on whether your web server is configured with secure HTTP:

    https://web_server_DNS_or_IP:8443/desktopapp/

    http://web_server_DNS_or_IP/desktopapp/

  6. Click OK.