The Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) 8 Release Candidate 1 (RC1) will simplifies the creation, deployment and management of customized Internet Explorer 8 packages. IEAK 8 can be used to configure the out-of-box Internet Explorer 8 experience or to manage user settings after Internet Explorer 8 deployment.

Corporations
Learn how the IEAK can help your organization with powerful, easy-to-use options for deploying and managing Web solutions with Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer Administration Kit provides administrators with powerful, easy-to-use options designed to save you time and money in deploying and managing Web solutions.

IEAK allows you to:
· Establish version control across your organization.
· Centrally distribute and manage browser installations.
· Configure automatic connection profiles for users' machines.
· Customize virtually any aspect of Internet Explorer, including features, security, communications settings, and other important elements


Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
IEAK programs and tools make it easy for you to create, deploy, and manage custom browser packages and save you time distributing your browser
Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) programs and tools make it easy for you to create and deploy custom browser packages and to manage the browser after the installation.

As an ISP, you can customize Internet Explorer and make it easy for customers to sign up for your services. The IEAK works faster and more reliably to help you save time distributing your browser, get more users to the Web, and reduce your support costs.

The IEAK allows you to:
· Customize the browser and other features to match your business objectives.
· Tailor Internet Explorer to different customer needs.
· Brand Internet Explorer and the dialer software you distribute.
· Flexibly deploy and distribute the browser.
· Include third-party add-ons with installation. The Internet Explorer Administration Kit makes it easy for you to generate a custom browser with Internet Explorer that can be deployed via Web download or CD to your subscribers


Internet Content Providers (ICPs)
Learn how the IEAK enables you to customize the appearance of the browser and tailor it for your users.
As an Internet Content Provider, you can choose customization options for Internet Explorer that help showcase your content in a number of ways. The Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) enables you to customize the appearance of the browser and the Setup program.

Customizing Internet Explorer Software by ICPs
To customize Internet Explorer, you can add your organization's name or other wording to the title bar. For example, the phrase "Windows Internet Explorer Provided by Proseware, Inc." could appear on your title bar.

You can preset the following Web pages and links:
· Customer support page
· Users' home page
· Users' search providers
· Links in the Links bar
· Links in the Favorites bar
· Links to Explorer Bars
· Add-on Components page (for optional components)

You can also customize the appearance of the browser software so that your organization's content is more prominent when the user browses the Internet. For example, you may want to customize the user's home page with content and links related to your business. By continually updating the content on your Web sites, you can keep your customers interested and informed about your products or services.

Customization Examples for ICPs
To showcase your organization's information and services on the Internet, you may want to consider the following customization options:
· Add links to your organization's Web sites. For example, if your organization is a radio station, you could add links to Web pages that highlight play-lists and composers' biographies.
· Update the browser interface with your organization's branding. You can add your organization's name to the title bar.
· Track information about your customized browser software by using an agent string-a string of characters that a Web browser sends when it visits an Internet site. The custom string that you append to the user agent string enables Web sites to compile statistics about how many of your customers are using your browser to view those sites


Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)
Find out how you can include your own components and controls for your users when distributing your custom browser program using Internet Explorer
As an Independent Software Vendor, you can easily distribute your custom program with Internet Explorer. By using the Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) programs and tools you are able to create custom browser software packages that include your own components and controls for how your users install the packages.

ISVs Customizing Internet Explorer
Using the IEAK, you can include Internet Explorer technologies, such as the Web Browser control, with your custom program and easily create Internet Explorer distribution media. You can also specify home and search providers and add Web sites to the Favorites list when you create your custom browser software packages.

You can also redistribute Internet Explorer. By using setup scripts or command-line switches, you can reduce or eliminate the user interaction required to install Internet Explorer and Internet Tools. This helps ensure smooth installation when users set up your custom program with Internet Explorer

Customization Examples for ISVs
To distribute your program with Internet Explorer, you may want to consider the following customization options:
· Use a batch file and command-line switches to install Internet Explorer in redistribution mode. This mode installs the underlying program files without overwriting the Internet Explorer icon if Internet Explorer already exists on the user's computer. You can also suppress Windows Update Setup prompts, so that your custom program does not provide setup feedback to the user.
· Update Customize Internet Explorer with links to your organization's Web sites or to sources of related technologies. Then you can use the IEAK to create a CD-ROM package that includes your custom program.

Here are some key features of "Internet Explorer Administration Kit":

· Distribution options. You can specify how you want to distribute Internet Explorer - either using a product CD or the local area network (LAN). You can also create a configuration-only package to update Internet Explorer settings without installing code on your customers' or users' computers.
· Custom components. You can include in-house applications and other programs in the custom package to distribute to your users and computers.
· Setup experience. Depending on your license type, you can set the level of user interaction during the installation and specify settings for the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, the default browser, and Internet Explorer updates.
· Search experience. You can customize the list of search providers for your users.
· Browser experience. You can customize where your users are directed for support; the display of home pages and a welcome page; the list populating Favorites, Links, and Web Feeds; and toolbar buttons.
· Administrator-approved ActiveX controls. You can specify the controls to run while locking out all others, which reduces overhead and troubleshooting issues. The approved set of Microsoft ActiveX controls can be enabled and administered dynamically by using the options in Additional Settings in IEAK Profile Manager.
· Automatic Configuration. You can automatically refresh your users' Internet Explorer settings at regular intervals, or every time the browser is started.

Requirements:

· Computer with a 233MHz processor or higher (Pentium processor recommended)
· CD-ROM drive (if installation is done from a CD-ROM).
· Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor with 256 colors.
· Modem or Internet connection; Microsoft Mouse, Microsoft IntelliMouse, or compatible pointing device.
· Internet Explorer 8