One or more distribution units may be needed to distribute a single software component. You, the software provider or Web master, can create distribution units that, when placed on your Web server, enable the Microsoft Internet Explorer Internet Component Download services to pull down and install software on users' computers. It may be useful to familiarize yourself with the individual parts that make up a distribution unit.
Cabinet files are containers for compressed files.
They've been used for years to compress software distributed on disks. Microsoft supplies a cabinet resource kit containing tools a developer can use to build cabinet files. Catalog File Catalog files specify that a given set of files belongs to the same logical group of files. Catalog files, supported by Internet Explorer version 5 and later, are used to avoid multiple trust dialog boxes when users download software components. For more information about catalog files, see Using Catalog Files .