Updatable SmartConsole Early Availability

[Dima_M]

Hi all,

We’re excited to announce an Updatable SmartConsole Early Availability for CheckMates members. We encourage you to give it a try and eager to get your feedbacks (you can reply to the post or send me an email), your opinion is very valuable for us!

Notes:

• Current version is based on Check Point R81 General Availability release, please note that current build number doesn’t isn’t real, but once Updatable SmartConsole will be released, it will reflect an actual build number.
• Installation requires administrator permissions. Update requires admin permissions only if the installation location requires it  (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86) requires admin permissions, %LocalAppData% does not), Background updates without requiring administrator permission will be introduced soon.
• Currently the update process does not delete previous versions. This feature will be added soon as well.

Instructions:

• Download  and Install the latest SmartConsole from sk170116
• When an update is available, a few minutes after SmartConsole is opened, the following message will appear (If SmartConsole was launched from the installation wizard, this message is skipped).

• Clicking “Install Now” will be followed after a about a minute by Windows’ message to approve administrator’s permissions for the update process (we are working on a solution to reduce that delay).
• When the update finishes, another popup will appear:

• This will restart SmartConsole into the newly installed version.
• Uninstalling SmartConsole from the Add/Remove Programs dialog will remove all versions of SmartConsole R81.

Looking forward for your feedback!

All the credit goes to: @Omer_Ran   @Raz_Shlomo  @Neta_Sadeh  @Alon_Alapi  

(Edited by PhoneBoy on 21 Feb 2021)

[Tomer_Noy]

I will try to clarify...

SmartConsole will automatically check on startup and periodically for availability of a newer version. The end user doesn't have to push any button or restart to get that functionality.

Our process for rolling out a new SmartConsole version is to do it gradually and monitor the field to make sure there are no unexpected issues. This practice is very common for auto0-updatable software. This means that some customers will see a popup with the new version immediately and some will only see it several days after release.

We got feedback (internal and external) that some customers see the publication of the new version and don't want to wait until their turn arrives in the gradual rollout. For these customers, we will add a button for "Check Now" that will let us know they want to get the latest right now.

[Garrett_DirSec]

Hello @Tomer_Noy  -- thanks for insight. 

Per previous post in this thread, I suggest the following pop-up functionality is very important.   

The only change I would like is "ask again in a week".   

I imagine very likely real-world scenario where reseller consultant working with customer on specific upgrade/install/tuning.  This involves lab time and work with customer.   This may include travel via plane and significant costs.  

With all the planning involved, the last thing a CP consultant needs is the SmartConsole auto-updating and changing the very tool used for all lab prep work validation as you walk onsite to customer.

[JozkoMrkvicka]

There should be also option to disable automatic check of new SmartConsole version. If I know my Windows computer dont have internet access, it is not needed to check for update after SmartConsole startup and then periodically.

Also the proxy settings would be great to be configurable in SmartConsole directly.

We want to have full customization what is happening in the background over Internet, and maybe also to have some "scheduler" where we can say that check for SmartConsole update only after startup, or at 12:00 every day in case SmartConsole is running.

[Sebastien_Rho]

Hi Dima, I did the update on mine and it worked really well, the update occurred seamlessly and the update went through. Great addition!!

[Sebastien_Rho]

Hi Dima, I got prompted twice for a R81 Portable Self-Extractor, probably part of the auto-update but just wanted to validate.  Thanks

[Raz_Shlomo]

Hi,

You can ignore it. It is part of our testing.

Thanks!

[JozkoMrkvicka]

Hi,

Looks like link is again broken. Can you check ?

@Dima_M @Raz_Shlomo @Sebastien_Rho @Tomer_Noy 

[Dima_M]

@JozkoMrkvicka  revived it, thanks for heads up.

Download 

[Garrett_DirSec]

Hello @Dima_M  -- was the feature recently added to Smartconsole EA to notify end-user of available update with button to install? 

specifically, the dialog box below I grabbed from your post?    I ask because I just opened SmartConsole EA build ?? that I installed couple weeks ago and a click on updates simply stated "a new version was downloaded and installed, click "here" to re-launch".    I was surprised to not have control over install of update.

[Garrett_DirSec]

Feedback (dec29) --

A great improvement that Smartconsole update mechanism now notifies end-user about available update and allows end-user to selectively install.   I would like the "update available" notification to include clickable web link to SK article that details that specific updates.

In addition, I know this is mostly irrelevant to functionality being testing, but I really don't like Update link in upper left of SmartConsole.  this is "business area" for typical administrator and shouldn't be cluttered with something you'll not be using frequently throughout day/week.  Suggest moving "updates" to lower Left ?   can updates be part of the "what's new" button -- ie.  incorporate available smartconsole updates into page about features available with latest R8xx builds?   make the "what's new" button change size/shape/color when new build available... (make it throb like glowing nuclear material..hoho).

[Dima_M]

Hey Garrett, 

Thanks for your feedbacks, we want the updates to be non interrupting process, but link to the Sk is a good idea we'll consider.  Are you usually reviewing all the changes between different SmartConsole builds?

[Tobias_Moritz]

I can say, that I do 🙂

[RamGuy239]

How do I gain access to this? None of the links seems to be working.

[Chris_Atkinson]

Now included as part of the latest build of SmartConsole for R81 please refer: sk170116 

[PhoneBoy]

Edited the original post to reflect this @Dima_M 

[Richard_Carson]

Does the updatable console For R81 support App-V packaging?