Install applications in wireless mode

IOS supports wireless installation of enterprise-level applications, which allows you to distribute internal software to users without using iTunes.

Requirements

• Security Web servers accessible to authenticated users

• IOS applications in. IPA format are constructed for release/production (enterprise-level preset description files are used)

• XML inventory file described later in this document

• Allows devices to access the network configuration of the Apple iTunes Server

Installing an application is simple. You can download the configuration file from your website to your iOS device. The configuration file indicates that the device downloads and installs the applications referenced in the configuration file.

You can distribute URLs to download list files via text messages or emails, or embed them into other enterprise-level applications you have created.

Websites designed by you and used by your supervisor to distribute applications. Determine that the user has been authenticated (may be using basic or directory-based authentication), and determine that the website can be accessed through the Intranet or the Internet. You can place applications and configuration files in a hidden directory or any other location that can be read using HTTP or HTTPS.

Prepare enterprise applications for wireless distribution

To prepare enterprise-level applications for wireless distribution, you should build an archived version (. IPA file) and a configuration file to enable wireless distribution and installation of the application.

Use xcode to create an application archive. Use your Distribution Certificate to sign the application and include your enterprise-level development preset description file in the archive. For more information about configuration files, see the following. For more information about building and archiving applications, visit IOS Dev center or refer to xcode user guide ), you can access this manual through the Help menu in xcode.

About the wireless list file

The configuration file is in XML plist format. IOS devices use it to search for applications on web servers and download and install applications from Web servers. The inventory file is created by xcode and uses the information you provide when you share archived applications for enterprise-level distribution. See the previous section to prepare applications for distribution.

The following columns are required:

Project	Description
URL	The complete HTTP or https url of the application (. IPA) file.
Display-Image	Download and install a PNG Image of 57x57 pixels. Specifies the complete URL of the image.
Full-size-Image	It is used to represent the application's 512x512 pixel PNG Image in iTunes.
Bundle-identifier	The package identifier of your application, which is exactly the same as that specified in the xcode project.
Bundle-version	The package version of your application, which is specified in the xcode project.
Title	The name of the application displayed during the download and installation process.

For the "Newspapers and Magazines" application only, enter the following fields:

Project	Description
Newsstand-Image	A png Image of full size, used to display on the "Newspapers, magazines" shelf.
Uinewsstandbindingedge Uinewsstandbindingtype	These keys must match the keys in info. plist in the magazine application.
Uinewsstandapp	Indicates that the application is a "newspaper/Magazine" application.

Some optional keys that you can use are described in the sample configuration file. For example, if the application file is too large and you want to ensure download integrity based on the error check (TCP Communication usually performs this operation), you can use the MD5 key.

You can use a single configuration file to install multiple applications by specifying additional members of the items array.

The sample inventory file is listed at the end of this document.

Build a website

Upload these items to areas that can be accessed by authenticated users on your website:

• Application (. IPA) File

• List (. plist) File

Your website design can be as simple as linking to a single page of the list file. When you tap the web link, the configuration file will be downloaded and the download and installation of the application described by the configuration file will be triggered.

The following is an example link:

<A href = "itms-services ://? Action = download-manifest & url = http://example.com/?manifest.plist "> install app </a>

Do not add the web link of the archived application (. IPA. When the configuration file is loaded, the device downloads the. IPA file. Although the URL protocol is itms-services, iTunes store is not involved in this process.

Set the server MIME type

You may need to configure your web server to correctly transfer configuration files and application files.

For OS X Server, add the following MIME types to the "MIME types" (MIME type) settings of Web Services:

Application/octet-stream IPA

Text/XML plist

For IIS, use IIS manager to add the MIME type on the "properties" page of the server:

. IPA application/octet-stream

. Plist text/XML

Reprinted from: http://help.apple.com/iosdeployment-apps/mac/1.1/#app43ad871e