Guidance on updating and maintaining Cameyo servers: The most effective way to maintain and manage Cameyo Servers is to adopt a fully-hosted and BYO-Cloud model. These methods greatly benefit from the efficiencies gained for maintaining and managing your servers, including updating and maintaining software.


In this article we will talk about options for updating apps for Self-hosted instances of Cameyo which present a few additional manual steps.


There are several methods for updating apps on self-hosted server clusters. The first emulates the process of updating apps on a fully-hosted or BYO-Cloud instance of Cameyo. The second updates all the servers in the cluster manually. And the third updates the server cluster with server automation or management tools.


Option 1: Update and Create New Clones

You can update apps on self-hosted servers in a manual cluster by mimicking how it is automated in an elastic cluster.

  1. Designate a server that will act as the gold master. This is generally the first server you created in Cameyo but could be any server in the cluster.
  2. Disable the server and verify that all the users have completed their session (dry out).
  3. Connect to the gold master server using "Connect as Admin" in Cameyo
  4. Update your software app by running the software updater or uninstalling and reinstalling your Windows software installer. You may also run any additional installers or add any template or config files at this time.
  5. Once the app has has been updated on the gold master server, there is no need to re-publish as long as the .exe (or other executable file) remains in the same location on the Windows Server.
  6. During a maintenance window, delete the remaining servers in the cluster using your server virtualization tools. Then duplicate (or use scripted install) the updated gold master server. Additional information about cloning self-hosted servers.


Option 2: Manually Update All Servers in the Cluster

The second method of updating software requires a manual touch to each server in the cluster. 


Before you update the server, disable the server in the Cameyo portal and let it dry out so no end-users are disrupted during the update.


You will need to "Connect as Admin" to each server in the cluster. Once you are in the admin session, run your updater or install the new version of your app.


Rinse and repeat for each server in the cluster. All servers must contain the identical versions of the app.


Option 3: Use Systems Management Tools to Update All Servers in the Cluster

Instead of manually installing the update on each server in the cluster, you may also use systems management software to deploy the app to each server. Some examples of server management software include using SCCM, implementing GPOs for remote installation, manual scripting of Windows Installer, or the use of other software delivery tools. The tool you use could already be part of your server management strategy.


Using management tools may require you to provide an unattended answer file for MSIs or custom scripting. Then you will deploy the software update through your systems management solution, much like you manage servers and client software installs and updates. 


You will not need to republish apps as long as the executable file remains in the same Windows folder on each server after the update. 


Things to consider:

  • It is recommended to do any server maintenance during an off-hours maintenance window. 
  • It is highly recommended that software install scripts or unattended installs are thoroughly tested on Cameyo Servers before deployment.
  • Take a critical look at any GPOs applied to servers. GPOs can be deployed as part of domain membership. If you are using Temporary User Profiles (recommended), user GPOs will not be applied since it uses pre-defined user profiles which are part of a Workgroup. See how to provision Registry/file settings into user sessions as well as PowerTags to get the desired effect.
  • If you are installing from a unattended scripted installation, be sure the files are available in common and readable areas of Windows Server including the c:\Program Files or c:\Program Files (x86) folders.
  • It is recommended to install apps for Cameyo Servers form the original vendor provided installer and not use existing re-packaged or virtualized packages that are currently used in your end-point management.