Software Deployment

Here's a quick & dirty summary I wrote awhile back. I can expand upon it if you like:


Remote Software deployments-

Here's the summarized version of how package deployment works. In SMS, for an application you'll create a Package. This package will contain both Programs and distribution point lists. Programs are where you'll specify the command line to run, the distribution point list specifies which DP's you want this package stored on. You'll created collections of machines based either a direct list of machines you create, or a query of the SQL database you write. For example you might query which machines have WINWORD.EXE on them (which machines has MS Word on them). You'll then create an advertisement to make programs available to all the machines in a collection.

The remote software install processes breaks down like this:

1) Package your application
2) Setup your Package in SMS
3) Setup a Program within your package
4) Specify which distribution points you want to store this application at in your package
5) Advertise the Program to a collection.

Your advertisement is where you will specify whether you want the software to be a push or pull.



EDIT: A further note regarding office...Be sure that you create an administrative install point to install from. As your probably aware the /a flag will achieve this.

Another thing, when you are specifying your command line in the program in SMS, DON'T just point it to the MSI file. Use the full msiexec /i <yourMSI> TRANSFORMS=<yourTransform> and be sure to toss a flag on the end to make it silent, I prefer '/qb!'. This will give your users a status bar so they can see the progress, but won't allow them to cancel the install.