MailEnable Installer and automated software deployment


SUMMARY

How to complete a command line install that will import all configuration options from another server. This is useful if it was required to install a copy of MailEnable on several servers and keep a previously configured setup.

DETAIL

The simplest way to install a copy of MailEnable on several servers and keep a previously configured setup, is to use a registry import file containing the desired paths and default settings and import that file with regedit's command line interface before running MailEnable with the /s command line switch.

e.g. To change the location of the program install directory would require modification to the following registry key prior to installation with the -S option.

Key Root: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mail Enable\Mail Enable Key Name: Application Directory
Value: C:\MailEnable

This will also work with the other paths under the same registry branch.

Therefore, the simplest way to do this is to install MailEnable on a test server and configure the paths as desired. Then use regedit to export the above-mentioned registry branch.

Notepad can then be used to edit the reg file, leaving only those keys that are necessary for customization.

In the build procedure/batch, use the regedit's command line switches as per this
article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q82821/

Then install Mail Enable with the /s and /B options. The section below describes this in greater detail. 

MailEnable Installation Kit Overview

Standard Edition
Parameter Explanation
/B Batch Installation Mode: Installs MailEnable without displaying any dialogs or confirmations.
/s Silent Installation

Professional Edition
Parameter Explanation
/B Batch Installation Mode: Installs MailEnable without displaying any dialogs or confirmations. To automate the software deployment and specify and particular registry settings, use a registry merge file to set these paths before the installer is run. {Currently not available- i.e. disabled}
/s Silent Installation

Enterprise Edition
Parameter Explanation
/B Batch Installation Mode: Installs MailEnable without displaying any dialogs or confirmations. To automate the software deployment and specify and particular registry settings, use a registry merge file to set these paths before the installer is run. {Currently not available- i.e. disabled}
/s Silent Installation

Setting Default Values
To automate the software deployment and specify and particular registry settings, use a registry merge file to set these paths before the installer is run. The following registry keys are most relevant when installing:

Value Name Type Default Value Description
Root: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mail Enable\Mail Enable Program Directory
REGSZ C:\\PROGRA~1\\MAILEN~1 Base location of MailEnable Application.

Application Directory
REGSZ C:\\PROGRA~1\\MAILEN~1\\Bin Location of MailEnable
Binaries and Applications

Configuration Directory
REGSZ C:\\Program Files\\Mail Enable\\Config
Location of MailEnable Configuration Files
Mail Root REGSZ C:\\PROGRA~1\\POSTOFFICES Base Location where MailEnable will store post offices and mail messages

MailEnable Installer Overview

The MailEnable installer is called by the MailEnable Installation Kit to install various
components and modules of the MailEnable product. The utility can also be used interactively
to install these components.  If you run the MEInstaller.exe application with no parameters it will display a list of components that can be installed. This is useful for debugging the installation of a component
should it fail when running the MailEnable Installation Kit.

The MEInstaller.exe application will also accept an array of command line parameters. These
are outlined as follows:

MEInstaller Password Component [Action] [DEBUG]
To pass any parameters to the MEInstaller application, the first two parameters are
mandatory. These contain a password and the name of the component that is to be installed/uninstalled, etc.

Password Parameter
The password is used to update or create any service accounts that MailEnable requires
(typically the IME_USER and IME_ADMIN accounts). The MailEnable installation will
automatically generate a password when MailEnable is installed. Ensure that any
password used here adheres to any machine based policy with respect to minimum password
length, alphanumeric etc. As mentioned earlier, the password parameter must be specified
irrespective of the component that is being installed.

Component Parameter
The component parameter determines which module or system component should be
installed or configured. These are outlined as follows:

STANDARD ALL - This option is called to configure the components
installed as part of MailEnable Standard. This includes creating accounts and setting permissions on
MailEnable components and directories. You must supply the password parameter when installing this
component.
GENERAL PRO
- Shutsdown the MailEnable COM+ Packages. The COM+ packages are used as core components of web mail and web administration. This option is only used to attempt to release/free the libraries so that they can be updated.
WEBMAIL PRO
- This option installs, registers and configures the MailEnable web mail component libraries. You must supply the password parameter when installing this component.
WEBADMIN PRO
- This option installs, registers and configures the MailEnable web administration component libraries. You must supply the password parameter when installing this component.
AV PRO - This option installs and configures the registry keys associated with antivirus. It re-generates the list of antivirus applications that can be used by MailEnable.
ANTISPAM BOTH
- This is a system option to re-generate the registry keys
for anti-spam open relay databases
MMC BOTH
- MailEnable Microsoft Management Console snap-ins and resource libraries. This option will clean the registry and re-register these components. This option should only be called if there are registration problems with the MMC.

Action Parameter
The action parameter determines what operation is to be performed on the Component specified in the parameter list.

A list of available parameters values follows:

{None} Install a named component
/U This option uninstalls a named component
/S Silently install the named component
/AUTO Installs all Components of a comma delimited list of Component
Names read from the following registry key:
KeyRoot: SOFTWARE\Mail Enable\Mail Enable\Installation
Value Name: Auto
Value Type: REG_SZ



Product:MailEnable (ME-1.X ME-2.X Pro-Any Pro-1.X Pro-2.X Ent-Any Ent-1.X Ent-2.X)
Category:Configuration
Article:ME020471
Module:MTA
Keywords:command,line,install,installation,automate,automatic,software,installer,deploy
Class:HOWTO: Product Instructions
Revised:Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Author:
Publisher:MailEnable