An ADSM administrator creates a set of diskettes using the distribution media for the ADSM server program. The administrator or the end user then configures the diskettes for a particular workstation.
When a user boots the workstation with the configured diskettes, the user can connect the workstation as a client to an ADSM Version 3 server. The user can back up a disk image, restore a disk image, or query the ADSM server for information on disk backups for the workstation.
As the system boots from the diskettes, the program installs the OS/2 operating system in RAM on a virtual disk created by the program. The program does not install the OS/2 operating system on the machine's disk drive.