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Automated Programming Technologies, Inc. |
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"Hands-Free" Software Upgrades For WestAmerica BranchesWestAmerica Bancorp based in Marin County, California has found a creative way to upgrade software for their 56 branch OS/2 servers with DOS clients (moving to Windows)--without an end user ever lifting a finger. "Coordinating the most minor software upgrade for 56 remote branches, with little branch-level expertise, used to be a major undertaking," said Garth Cooper, LAN Support Specialist for WestAmerica.Auto Pilot Upgrades -- No Problem...WestAmerica has cleverly utilized APTNet's File Distribution and Collection Services to send out new software releases to 56 branches over the SNA network. "We then use a .BAT file that is automatically loaded during user login to unzip and copy the new software, if needed. We have upgraded everything from our mission-critical Branch Automation Software (Argo) to a simple home-grown menu system," comments Cooper. Don't Make the Boss Wait...APTNet's File Distribution and Collection Services are also being used, along with OS/2 Alarm, to automatically execute a nightly script that downloads time- sensitive files for the Senior Managers. "Now the Senior Managers have their regional reports at their local server every morning, instead of running the job and waiting several hours to process and download the information," said Cooper. Lost Without My Mirror..."The most exercised application within APTNet would have to be Mirror Image. Our help desk support people use it every day, and would be lost without it," laughs Cooper. "When an end user calls the help desk with a problem, the standard procedure to fire up Mirror Image and take a look for yourself at the situation. In many cases, we then use Mirror Image to run the troubled workstation and actually fix the problem," adds Cooper. Solid Product and Solid People..."APT has been an excellent organization to work with over the past three years. I can always reach a software engineer if we have a problem (which is rare) and Eric (an APT Software Engineer) has even written special program (that always works) for our unique DOS/VSE environment", boasts Cooper.
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