Updating software in an enterprise environment can be a complex and risky task. Automatic updates may disrupt critical systems, while manually updating each workstation is labor-intensive and prone to errors. Many IT teams dread updating stable systems due to these challenges.
At WISER, we prioritize reliability and control, similar to Microsoft’s approach with Windows for Business, by avoiding forced automatic updates. Instead, we provide enterprise-friendly tools like MSI packages for silent, mass deployments and easy configuration replication. This lets you manage installations, updates, and settings at scale without downtime or manual effort, ensuring your team stays in control.
This guide covers the process in three main sections (If you are only updating existing installations, jump straight to section 2):
1. Fresh Install & Configuration
Before rolling out the software to a hundred machines, you must set up a reference workstation. This “Master” machine will serve as the blueprint for your entire network. (You can also have one setup by Team)
Step 1: Install the WISER Tracker App
- Contact your WISER representative to request the latest WISER Tracker App installer. We provide both .exe and MSI packages.
- Install on your reference workstation.
Check our minimum requirements in the docs. Depending on your usage (e.g., high-density tag viewing or large maps), you may benefit from additional RAM or CPU for optimal performance.
Step 2: Configure the Software
Connect to your Arena Server with the appropriate Connection Details and Credentials. By the end of this section, we will be saving this connection as a Saved Session. (NOTE: Sessions can have multiple Arena Connections)
Beyond connection data, you can configure visibility settings for tags and groups. This is a powerful feature for multi-departmental operations. Just to give a brief example of how to use this visibility feature, I am going to share how Crystal Group uses it. The company required a system to track its assets, which included calibrated tools & gauges, sales order carts, and government-owned assets. Each asset was assigned a tag and each tag was assigned to specific groups. By assigning tags to groups and configuring visibility per workstation and user:
- Each station displays only relevant tags, reducing visual clutter.
- Operators focus faster without distraction or getting overwhelmed.
- Make it easier to spot “misplaced” tags that don’t belong in a specific zone or region.
This setup improves efficiency and accuracy in shared environments.
Tags and Groups Visibility are device only AND per user. We do have improvements planned. Stay tuned.
All application settings are stored in the WISER Tracker.ini file located at C:\ProgramData\WISER Systems. These settings are visual, session and filter like. All other settings are managed by the WISER Server.
Very soon the server will also store its settings at the same location in a subfolder called “WISER Server”. And in another future update, the app will also have its own subfolder, in the same location, to keep things organized.
Step 3: Save the Session
Once configured, save the session at the Home Screen. Saved Sessions are listed in the “Add Arena/Connection Screen” and users can then launch by selecting it, without re-entering details.
You are now ready to replicate or start using the app on this workstation.
2. App Replication (Installation & Updates)
For enterprise rollouts, we provide an MSI (Microsoft Installer) package. This is superior to a standard executable for several reasons:
- Enterprise Integration: Seamlessly deploy via Microsoft Intune, SCCM/MECM, or Group Policy (GPO).
- Silent Installation: Run mass rollouts with zero user interaction.
- Unattended Deployment: Supports scheduled and remote installs.
- Authenticity: MSI packages support code signing to verify the publisher.
Because settings are stored at C:\ProgramData\WISER Systems and not in the installation folder, you can update, uninstall, or reinstall the app without losing your workstation configurations.
On a later date, we will update this section with one of the above solutions as an example of Mass Installation/update. But in case you wake up one day too happy and with a lot of energy to waste spare, you could also go to each of the workstations, individually, with a pen-drive, like the Mayans, and manually install/update each one… individually. However, that’s not the idea of this tutorial and, as mentioned in the first paragraph, we advise against it.
Now, with App replicated, let’s move on to the settings replication.
3. Settings Replication
Step 1: Deployment of Configuration Files
Using your preferred enterprise management tool or a command-line script, distribute the WISER Tracker.ini file from your reference machine to the C:\ProgramData\WISER Systems directory on all target workstations.
Step 2: Handling Password-Protected Sessions
This step is optional and applies only to authenticated servers. If you’re running without authentication… God bless.
For security, the WISER Tracker App does not store passwords directly; they are managed by the Operating System. When you replicate a session to a new machine, you must “re-set” the password on the local OS, either manually or using the WISER Tracker App’s Command Line Interface (CLI).
You can run a network-wide CLI command to apply the session password across all workstations:
--update-session-password <session_name> --host<address> --user <user> --password <password>Example:
./WISERTracker.exe --update-session-password "Fort Knox" --host "192.168.1.100" --user "admin" --password "I_S2_C@ts!"
Required Fields:
- host / ip (alias)
- user / username (alias)
- password
Conclusion: The Efficient Rollout
By combining the MSI installer with .ini file replication, you can move from a single test machine to a site-wide deployment in minutes.
- Install WISER Tracker App (MSI preferred) on reference workstation
- Configure the reference workstation.
- Deploy the MSI package to all machines.
- Copy the
WISER Tracker.inifile from the reference workstation to all target machines. - Run CLI command for password-protected sessions where needed.
This method eliminates manual entry errors and ensures every operator has the exact tools they need to succeed. If you need the latest MSI package or help with CLI syntax, contact our support team.
And if you need help on how to best optimize your workflow alongside our system and increase your return on investment (ROI), contact us. We have plenty of experience with this, and we have even provided personalized integration services to a few customers.
You can contact us via our website, email, or phone.
