WebAware Installation™ Technology

Only InstallAware’s unique WebAware installation technology gives you the flexibility to remove large technology dependencies (such as the .NET Runtime) or rarely used features from your setup package and deploy them as needed.

With WebAware installation technology:

The source files of a setup can be placed on, and read from, various locations
	The main setup.exe file itself
	Physical media, such as a CD or DVD disc
	Network file server
	FTP server
	HTTP/HTTPS server
When a setup is running, it will attempt to access the source locations only if necessary. For instance, a download may only be triggered when an application feature has been selected by the user, or if an application runtime is missing on the target system.
The main setup.exe file will contain your essential application files and runtimes—so your software installs without requiring all of your users to keep their Internet connection open during the setup process.
When a web-based component is needed, your user’s connections are handled seamlessly. If a download is interrupted, the setup engine can resume exactly where it left off. Downloads also transparently detect proxy server information.
Setups may share the same source locations. For instance, if two applications require the .NET Framework, they can both read the framework from a single source location, preventing the need to replicate source files and downloads for each setup.
How Does It Work?
InstallAware setups store each source location as a web media block. Web media blocks serve as the underlying architecture for WebAware installation technology and make all of the above possible.
What is a web media block?
A web media block is any part of your setup that installs files. For example, you could have two media blocks—one that serves your main application, and
another that serves your sample projects. You can splice your setup into as many web media blocks as you like.
How does a web media block work?
When setup determines that a particular file inside a media block will be installed, it downloads that block from the exact URL provided. Building on the above example, if the user chose to install your application, but not its sample projects, only the main application files would be downloaded. The samples would not be downloaded.
How are web media blocks useful?
They help save bandwidth for your servers and for your users. Users download only the features or dependencies needed.
Isn't this just another web deployment?
No. Unlike most web deployment schemes, web media blocks are free of constraints. Each web media lock is contained in a single file, which you can deploy from any URL. You can also precisely define which files in your setup belong to which media blocks. Moreover, with traditional web deployment, all you put online is an empty setup bootstrapper, which re-connects to the Internet even to download always needed, vital application parts. This can be avoided with WebAware installation technology by using offline web media blocks.
Can web and offline content be mixed?
Yes. Using web media blocks, you may even designate parts of your setup as "offline". Offline content will always be included in your main setup file, therefore each user that downloads your main setup program will not have to download it from the web. This is useful for managing the parts of your setup that are always required.
Can common runtimes be installed in this way?
This is one of the best ways to use web media blocks. If your application requires runtimes that may already be present on the end users system, simply place them inside a web media block. That way, your setups will download the required runtimes only if they are not already present on the target system.