Are there any free systems for deploying new applications across a Windows network?
e.g. if I wanted to automatically install Silverlight to every PC?
(Assuming a Windows network of about 150 machines)
Windows – Free Automatic Deployment Systems
deploymentopen sourcewindows
Related Solutions
Just a few benefits:
- Can be advertised (so that on demand installation could take place).
- Like advertisement, features can be installed as soon as the user tries to use them.
- State management is maintained so Windows Installer provides a way to let administrators see if an application is installed on a machine.
- Ability to roll back if an installation fails.
I think to when I'm deploying software in an enterprise setting: deploying software via MSI is almost enjoyable. In contrast, I almost always find myself dreading deploying software when it's in another container.
For some additional info on manipulating MSI installations, type msiexec into the Run dialog.
Best Answer
If you have a Windows domain you should read up on using Group Policy to install software. Having said that, though, if the software isn't packaged in Windows Installer (MSI) format this becomes significantly harder. Using Group Policy Startup Scripts to perform silent installations of non-MSI-based packages is certainly possible, but you need some scripting skills to pull that off.
You might also have a look at wpkg. It sounds right up the alley of what you're looking for. There's a pretty strong community around it, and you can usually find "recipes" written by others for common installation needs (example: http://wpkg.org/Microsoft_Silverlight).
Personally, I go the route of Group Policy, either using MSI-based installs or custom Startup Scripts, but I've played around with wpkg and like what I see with it, too.