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AirBEAM Smart
9-3
Introduction
The AirBEAM Smart product allows specially designed software packages to be transferred between
a host server and Symbol wireless handheld devices. Before transfer, AirBEAM Smart checks and
compares package version, so that only updated packages are loaded.
AirBEAM Smart resides on radio-equipped client devices and allows them to request, download and
install software, as well as to upload files and status data. Both download and upload of files can be
accomplished in a single communications session. The ability to transfer software over a radio
network can greatly reduce the logistical efforts of client software management.
In an AirBEAM Smart system, a network-accessible host server acts as the storage point for the
software transfer. The AirBEAM Smart Client uses the industry standard FTP or TFTP file transfer
protocols to check the host system for updates and if necessary, to transfer updated software.
AirBEAM Package Builder
In a typical distributed AirBEAM Smart system, software to be transferred is organized into packages.
In general, an AirBEAM Smart package is simply a set of files that are assigned attributes both as an
entire package and as individual component files. The package is assigned a version number and the
transfer occurs when an updated version is available.
An AirBEAM Smart package can optionally contain developer-specified logic to be used to install the
package. Installation logic is typically used to update client device flash images or radio firmware.
Examples of common AirBEAM Smart packages would include packages for custom client application
software, radio firmware and AirBEAM Smart Client software.
Once these packages are built, they are installed on the host server for retrieval by the handheld
device. The AirBEAM Package Builder is a utility used to define, generate and install AirBEAM
packages to a server. The packages are then loaded from the server onto a client device equipped
with an AirBEAM Smart Client executable.
For detailed instructions on how to define, generate and install AirBEAM packages to the server, refer
to the AirBEAM Package Builder Product Reference Guide, p/n 72-55769-xx.
AirBEAM Smart Client
The AirBEAM Smart Client is installed on the handheld mobile computer. It is configured with the
server access information, the names of the packages to be downloaded and other controlling
parameters. When the AirBEAM Smart Client is launched, the device connects to the specified FTP
server and checks the packages it is configured to look for. If the package version was updated, the
client requests the transfer.