Web Vs Conventional Deployment

From Update 34 and later, customers MUST use the EMS Desktop Client Web Deploy option. This is due to the security updates made in this release. Conventional deployment where the Desktop Client connects to the database via a SQL port no longer works. If your organization requires the MSI to be packaged and pushed to users but users connect using the Web Deploy service, you can continue with your existing process but note that users must be updated before they can connect.

If there is a requirement to package and push the MSI to users, that is still possible, but users need to have the following registry key added that gets added normally with the web deploy installation process on user machines.

Note that the value of the key must match the URL of the EMS Desktop Client Web Deploy Service in your environment.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\EMS Software\Version 44.1]

"AppFacadeUrl"="https://yourdomain.com/EmsDesktopWebDeploy/"

EMS Desktop Web Deployment V44+ and V44.1 is an alternative method for installing EMS Desktop Client locally on individual user machines. This solution is not a replacement for the EMS Web Client discontinued after V43, but rather, it is an alternative to using Microsoft^® methods of deployment, such as SCCM. Administrators can use it to host EMS Desktop Client on a web server, with the ability to push the URL to any EMS Administrators so they can download EMS Desktop Client without needing Administrative Privileges on their local machine. 

The web deploy application is installed on your web server. The EMS Desktop Application is included within this installation. Once installed, end users point their web browsers to the EMS Web Deployment Application, which points them with a link to download the EMS Desktop Client.

Learn how to Configure Users.

Once a user downloads and runs the link, the EMS Desktop Client is installed in the user's profile on that workstation. Once installed, the EMS Desktop Client checks the server for an updated version of the client each time the client is launched. If a new version is available, it automatically downloads and installs the update.

Conventional Deployment works like previous releases of EMS. The downloadable installer is in the form of a MSI file. Once the software is installed on the Admin Users workstation, it connects directly to the database. It can also be configured to connect to the Desktop Client API included in the Web Deployment option. 

The Web Deployment method also adds an application layer in the form of a web service, to the architecture of the application. Instead of the Desktop Client connecting directly to the Database server as it has in the past, all connections are routed through the Desktop Client API included with Web Deploy. This can add additional benefits for security considerations or multi-region deployments.

The table below outlines the features available between the two deployment methods.

Feature	Desktop Web Deployment	Conventional Deployment
Admin Rights required on the workstation	No	Yes
Number of installations per workstation	1 Per User	Once for all users of the workstation
Installation Location	Users Profile	Location can be specified during installation
Requires a Web Server	Yes	No
Can adopt customer specific, deployment procedures	No	Yes (requires IT assistance)
Able To deploy without user intervention	No	Yes (requires IT assistance)
Updates are handled...	From the Web Service on the server	Must be re-pushed to individual workstations.
IT has control of when updates are pushed	Yes	Yes
Network Connection to the database	Desktop Client API	Direct TCP connection or Desktop Client API

To enable SSL, you must first make changes to the EMS Desktop Client .msi file.