User`s guide

Zebra Mobile Printers • Wireless Configuration Guide • rev. H 30
Wavelink Avalanche™ Network Management Implementation
NOTE: Wavelink Avalanche capability can only be implemented on
the QL Plus and RW series of Mobile Printers.
Wavelink Avalanche is a software system designed to man-
age mobile network devices. The Avalanche system consists of
three core components:
The “Avalanche Administrative Console” is the central
user interface through which the administrator issues
commands to the Agents. The console allows the admin-
istrator to view all known devices, identify device settings
and software loads, configure profiles, schedule updates,
and immediately identify the success or failure of updates
to each device.
The “Avalanche Agent” stores the configuration settings
and software to be deployed, along with the rules used to
assign these settings to the mobile devices under Ava-
lanche management. The Agent can run centrally and
communicate across a WAN, or multiple agents can be
deployed to locations throughout the network.
The “Avalanche Enabler” resides on the mobile device to
be managed. Enablers are operating system and, some-
times, device specific. The Enabler communicates with
the Avalanche Agent over the network or serial connection
and updates are performed as necessary.
Zebra’s implementation of the “Enabler” has complete
emulation of Avalanche Enabler protocol, including the fol-
lowing:
Automatic Agent Discovery
In the event that an Agent’s address is not explicitly pro-
vided, the mobile device will send out broadcast requests,
searching for an available Agent. If an available Agent re-
sponds, the Agent’s information is stored and connection
procedures begin.
Agent Login And Authentication.
In order to facilitate a secure connection, Avalanche
Agents and Enablers each offer authentication procedures
to validate the identity of the other party in the connection.
Operational Properties Exchange.
After successful connection and authentication, the Agent
requests an update of the mobile device’s operating
parameters, a set of static parameters that the Agent is
aware of. These parameters are mainly network oriented
(ESSID, WEP, etc).
Package Synchronization (Update/Delete).
The Avalanche Agent and Enabler both use the concept
of a “package” to transfer updates down to the mobile
device. Each package is a collection of files that the mobile
unit needs to handle. Each package can be either stored or
executed. See below for Zebra printer specific applications
of each file action.
File Storage
When a file is sent to the printer as part of an update
package and is flagged for storage, it is simply written to
the printer’s internal file system. No other processing is
involved.
For example, if the image file “flower.pcx” is flagged for
storage, the image file is written to the file system and is
available for use to be printed on a label.
File Execution
When a file is sent to the printer as part of an update pack-
age and is flagged for execution, the contents of that file
are fed into the printer’s command interpreter. This func-
tionality can be used to modify any and all of the printer’s
internal parameters, execute a CPCL “Set/Get/Do” com-
mand, or remotely print labels.
continued