Vanilla windows software deployment

[djdohboy]

I'm currently running 7 server 2003 domain controllers and windows XP sp2 across the entire domain, now Im wondering whats the best whay of deploying software and drivers across this network????

 

Any hints or tips would be very very helpful

 

[powdarrmonkey]

Vanilla: MSI packages and group policy

Middleware: some kind of packager, like Prism Pack

[djdohboy]

would anybody recommend using Microsoft SMS (or SCCM)???

 

or is this a bad idea???

[somabc]

Its good if you have the money

 

We package our own files with a silent .cmd file and call it as necessary from a perl script.

 

GP works well with .msi, I find it useful for things like flash, acrobat, office etc.

Edited September 4, 2008 by somabc

[Michael]

I would explore deploying MSIs in the structure you have already first. I use it all the time and have no issues with it.

 

The only feature I find lacking is detailed information as to what applications have been successfully installed/deployed and any problem(s), very similar to what WSUS provides.