DESCRIPTION

IBM NetView DM Easy Preparer for OS/2 is a new IBM Program Product
designed to minimize the complexity of managing software for large
numbers of LAN clients.  Easy Preparer provides an easy-to-use
Presentation Manager interface for the Netview Distribution
Manager/2 (NetView DM/2) product.

Easy Preparer features include:

   * Configuration Data Management
   * Automated Response File Generation
   * Automated Change File Generation
   * Automatic Generation of Modification Files
   * Automated Partitioning and Formatting of Client Hard Drives
   * Automatic Creation of Client Boot Diskettes
   * Open Architecture
   * Link to NetView DM

These features simplify NetView DM/2 in the management of client
software.  The graphical user interface and automation of tasks
speeds the work you do in NetView DM/2 and reduces the time
investment required to learn the product's intricacies.

You can customize Easy Preparer to support new software releases,
minimizing the time lost to upgrading NetView DM/2.



HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

The hardware requirements for Easy Preparer depend on how you use
NetView DM/2.  Use the following examples as guidelines:


Example 1:  Netview DM Easy Preparer as Preparation Site for
            NetView DM/MVS

            System Unit
            -----------
            Any IBM Personal System/2 supported by OS/2 v. 2.1 or
            later

            Minimum Storage and Memory
            --------------------------
            - 16 MB of main memory
            - 320 MB of hard disk space

            These figures include the memory and storage
            requirements to run NetView DM/2 and related software
            prerequisites (described in the Software Requirements
            section).  Increase these minimum figures if you
            increase the number of functions you use.

            Hardware Features
            -----------------
            - 3.5" floppy drive for installing features from
              diskettes
            - VGA, XGA, or 8514/A display adapter
            - Any pointing device (such as a mouse) that the
              operating system supports


Example 2:  Netview DM Easy Preparer as Preparation Site for
            NetView DM/2 Change Control Server

            System Unit
            -----------
            Any IBM Personal System/2 supported by OS/2 v. 2.1 or
            later

            Minimum Storage and Memory
            --------------------------
            - 16 MB of main memory
            - 480 MB of hard disk space

            These figures include the memory and storage
            requirements to run NetView DM/2 and related software
            prerequisites (described in the Software Requirements
            section).  Increase these minimum figures if you
            increase either the number of functions you use or the
            number of supported clients.

            Hardware Features
            -----------------
            - 3.5" floppy drive for installing features from
              diskettes
            - VGA, XGA, or 8514/A display adapter.
            - Any pointing device (such as a mouse) that the
              operating system supports


Example 3:  Netview DM Easy Preparer as Preparation Site for
            NetView DM/2 Remote Administrator

            System Unit
            -----------
            Any IBM Personal System/2 supported by OS/2 v. 2.1 or
            later

            Minimum Storage and Memory
            --------------------------
            - 32 MB of main memory
            - 1.0 GB of hard disk space

            These figures include the memory and storage
            requirements to run NetView DM/2 and related software
            prerequisites (described in the Software Requirements
            section).  Increase these minimum figures if you
            increase either the number of functions you use or the
            number of supported clients.

            Hardware Features
            -----------------
            - 3.5" floppy drive for installing features from
              diskettes
            - VGA, XGA, or 8514/A display adapter.
            - Any pointing device (such as a mouse) that the
              operating system supports




SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

Using the examples given in the Hardware Requirements section,
Easy Preparer requires the following software:


Example 1:  Netview DM Easy Preparer as Preparation Site for
            NetView DM/MVS

            - OS/2 v. 2.1 or later
            - DB2/2 v. 1.0 or later
            - Netview DM/2 Entry Package (server component)

              The Entry Package is required when you use NetView
              for MVS to prepare Change files and response
              files for the software packages that NetView DM/MVS
              distributes and installs over the network.

            - DDCS/2 v. 1.0 or later

              This software is required when Easy Preparer works
              as a preparation site of NetView DM/MVS 1.6 with
              the SPMF feature.


Example 2:  Netview DM Easy Preparer as Preparation Site for
            NetView DM/2 Change Control Server

            - OS/2 v. 2.1 or later
            - DB2/2 v. 1.0 or later
            - Netview DM/2 Extended Package (server component)

              The Extended Package is required when you use
              NetView DM/2 Extended to prepare Change files
              and response files for the software packages you
              distribute and install over the LANs in a network.


Example 3:  Netview DM Easy Preparer as Preparation Site for
            NetView DM/2 Remote Administrator

            - OS/2 v. 2.1 or later
            - DB2/2 v. 1.0 or later
            - Netview DM/2 Extended Package (server component)
            - Netview DM/2 Remote Administrator (server component)

              The Extended Package and Remote Administrator are
              required when you use NetView DM/2 Remote
              Administrator to prepare Change files and response
              files for the software packages you install in a
              remote LAN location.

