Appendix Bairbeam Smart Client; Introduction; Airbeam Package Builder - Motorola MC17 Product Reference Manual

APPENDIX B

Introduction

The AirBEAM Smart product allows specially designed software packages to be transferred between a host
server and a mobile computer. Before transfer, AirBEAM Smart checks and compares package version, so that
only updated packages are loaded.
AirBEAM Smart resides on the mobile computer and allows it to request, download and install software, as well
as to upload files and status data. Both download and upload of files can be accomplished in a single
communications session. The ability to transfer software over a wireless network can greatly reduce the
logistical efforts of client software management.
In an AirBEAM Smart system, a network-accessible host server acts as the storage point for the software
transfer. The AirBEAM Smart Client uses the industry standard FTP or TFTP file transfer protocols to check the
host system for updates and, if necessary, to transfer updated software.
NOTE For more detailed information about AirBEAM Smart, refer to the AirBEAM
Product Reference Guide (p/n 72-63060-xx).

AirBEAM Package Builder

In a typical distributed AirBEAM system, software to be transferred is organized into packages. In general, an
AirBEAM package is simply a set of files that are assigned attributes both as an entire package and as
individual component files. The package is assigned a version number and the transfer occurs when an
updated version is available.
An AirBEAM package can optionally contain developer-specified logic to be used to install the package.
Installation logic is typically used to update client device flash images or radio firmware. Examples of common
AirBEAM packages would include packages for custom client application software, radio firmware and
AirBEAM Smart Client software.
Once these packages are built, they are installed on the host server for retrieval by the mobile computer. The
AirBEAM Package Builder is a utility used to define, generate and install AirBEAM packages to a server. The
packages are then loaded from the server onto a client device equipped with an AirBEAM Smart Client
executable.
AIRBEAM SMART CLIENT
® ®
Smart Windows CE Client