To set up a Parallels Desktop update server, you'll need a local Web server. Install a Web server on a computer connected to your network (or use an existing one).
Create a file named parallels_updates.xml on the Web server where it can be accessed via HTTP. The file is an XML document that should contain specifications for a particular Parallels Desktop update available on your local updated server.
To create your own document, use the following sample XML document and the XML document specification that follows it as a reference.
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
ParallelsUpdates
Root element.
Product
Container for Parallels Desktop information.
ProductName
string
Use "Parallels Desktop".
UpdateEnabled
int
Specifies whether the automatic updates are enabled. To enable updates, specify 1.
Version
Container for Parallels Desktop version information.
Major
int
Major version number (e.g. 13)
Minor
int
Minor version number. Specify 0.
SubMinor
Build number. This element may be empty.
SubSubMinor
Revision number. This element may be empty.
StringRepresentation
Product codename. This element may be empty.
Update
Container for the information about the Parallels Desktop update.
Attributes:
uuid — String. A globally unique ID identifying the product.
The uuid attribute is very important and must contain the correct information for the update to work. The attribute value consists of the following parameters (substrings) separated by periods (see the provided XML example):
desktop — specify "desktop"
major — major version number (e.g. 13)
minor — minor version number (0)
build — build number
revision — revision number
locale — locale ("en_US", "de_DE", etc)
vendor — vendor ("parallels")
platform — platform ("mac")
UpdateType
int
Update type. Specify 0.
UpdateName
string
The user-defined update name.
UpdateDescription
string
The update description.
FilePath
string
A URL to the update file on your local update server. The actual update files can be obtained from Parallels.
FileSize
int
The update file size, in megabytes.
Status
int
Specify 0.
DateTime
string
Date and time when the updated was published. Use the following format:
yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss
Chargeable
int
Specify 0.
LocaleName
string
Locale name ("en_US", "it_IT", etc).
DistributorName
The update distributor name. Specify "parallels".
OsType
Operating system type. Specify "mac".
Ancestry
Container for the list of updates that directly preceded this update.
Ancestor
string
An individual Parallels Desktop update information.
This element may appear more than once in the same document, one for each update.
The value is combined using the following parameters (substrings) separated by periods (see the provided XML example):
desktop — specify "desktop".
major — Parallels Desktop major version number.
minor — minor version number.
build — build number.
revision — revision number.
locale — locale (e.g. "en_US")
vendor — vendor ("parallels").
platform -— platform ("mac").
The next step is to configure individual Macs to take their updates from the local update server. This can be done automatically during the mass deployment of Parallels Desktop by modifying the appropriate deployment configuration option. Please see Configuring Deployment Options for the complete info (see the description of the Software Updates section of the configuration file).
If you have an existing Parallels Desktop installation that was not configured for automatic updates during deployment, then read on to learn how to do it manually.
Note: The information provided here applies only to Parallels Desktop installations that were NOT configured to use automatic updates during the mass deployment process.
To configure Parallels Desktop automatic updates, you need to modify the Parallels Desktop property list file on a Mac as follows:
Find the com.parallels.Parallels Desktop.plist file located in the Library/Preferences subfolder in the user's home folder. This is the Parallels Desktop property list file that contains the user-specific information.
Open the file using the Property List Editor application (included with Xcode).
Set the update policy by modifying the Application preferences.VolumeLicenseUpdatePolicy property. If the property doesn't exist, add it to the file specifying its data type as String. Set the property value using one of the following options (see also the Notes subsection below):
"Parallels" — when this value is set, the updates will be downloaded from the Parallels update server via the Internet. The value is case-sensitive.
Complete URL of the parallels_updates.xml file residing on your local update server. For example, "https://10.0.0.1/pdfm/v8/en_us/parallels/parallels_updates.xml". When the URL is specified, the updates will be obtained from the local update server.
"None" — automatic updates are disabled. The value is case-sensitive.
Specify how often Parallels Desktop should check for updates. This is done by modifying the Application preferences.Check for updates property. If the property doesn't exist, add it to the file specifying its data type as Number. Specify the property value using one of the following options:
0 — Never
1 — Once a day
2 — Once a week
3 — Once a month
Set the automatic download option. Find the Application preferences.Download updates automatically property. If it doesn't exist, add it to the file specifying its data type as Boolean. Set the property value using one of the following options:
True — Download updates automatically. Specify this value when using a local update server.
False — Notify the user about the updates but don't download them automatically. This option is useful only when updates are downloaded from the Parallels update server, and the user has full control over the update functionality.
Save the file and close the Property List Editor application.
Note: If Parallels Desktop is running while you are modifying the plist file, it will have to be restarted for the changes to take effect.
On initial Parallels Desktop activation using a Business Edition key, the Parallels Desktop update properties will be absent from the com.parallels.Parallels Desktop.plist file. In such a case, a Mac user will be able to configure Parallels Desktop automatic updates using the Parallels Desktop graphical user interface.
When the update-related properties are added to the com.parallels.Parallels Desktop.plist file, the automatic updates will be performed according to the specified values. In addition, the value of the Application preferences.VolumeLicenseUpdatePolicy property will affect the Parallels Desktop update-related elements in the Parallels Desktop graphical user interface as follows:
If the property contains a URL of the local update server or "None", the Parallels Desktop update-related controls will be disabled (grayed out) in the Parallels Desktop graphical user interface. The displayed settings will have no effect on how the Parallels Desktop updates are carried out. Therefore, the user will not be able to configure automatic updates or check for updates manually.
If the property doesn't exist, has no value, or contains "Parallels" as a value, the Parallels Desktop update controls will be enabled in the user interface giving the user the ability to configure automatic updates and check for updates manually.
With Parallels Desktop Enterprise Edition, you can set up a local update server on your network from which Mac users can get Parallels Desktop updates. Updates are released periodically to improve the performance and reliability of Parallels Desktop. To reduce Internet traffic when downloading updates, you can set up a local update server, download the available updates to it, and then set up individual Macs on your network to take the updates from it instead of the Internet. Read on to learn about setting a local update server.