Deploying software with CentraStage

[mackster]

Looking for a bit of advice here. We have a massive AD structure spread across the authority, consisting of about 200 primary and special schools. We bought CentraStage about 12 months ago and so far, so good. But we'd like to start using it as our preferred method of deploying software, replacing a combination of MSIs and startup scripts. Is anyone else out there using CentraStage as their main method of software deployment and if so how are you going about it? What we need to do is have new machines automatically install the core software (Office, AV etc.) but we'd also like to have a way of machines automatically updating themselves (to new versions of Flash player etc.)

 

Any help would be much appreciated. By the same token, I'm happy to share what little CentraStage knowledge I have.

 

Cheers.

[Rawns]

Looking for a bit of advice here. We have a massive AD structure spread across the authority, consisting of about 200 primary and special schools. We bought CentraStage about 12 months ago and so far, so good. But we'd like to start using it as our preferred method of deploying software, replacing a combination of MSIs and startup scripts. Is anyone else out there using CentraStage as their main method of software deployment and if so how are you going about it? What we need to do is have new machines automatically install the core software (Office, AV etc.) but we'd also like to have a way of machines automatically updating themselves (to new versions of Flash player etc.)

 

Any help would be much appreciated. By the same token, I'm happy to share what little CentraStage knowledge I have.

 

Cheers.

 

Hi Mackster,

 

Welcome to the Edugeek party!

 

We have been actively using CentraStage within our LA for a good few years now. My use of it though sounds slightly different to yours though as we utilise it as a support mechanism for all of our schools in the LA from an MIS Support point rather than managing the estate/machines themselves, however we have had to roll out various software to schools with it (such as installing MS SQL Server 2008 (And soon MS SQL Server 2012) for the migrations) as well as pushing out reports to SIMS, distributing file-sets, running SIMS upgrades, taking SQL backups etc etc. While I have not actually pushed out any large software packages to machines such as Office or AV Software, I know it is completely possible. At the moment, we are using it to install SOLUS3 into our schools (which are all MSI's) and it works a treat. Effectively, if it's an MSI, you can deploy it in CentraStage.

 

As for installing the actual software automatically, you can set up "OnConnect" jobs which will run components against new devices as soon as they come online. Ideal for deploying software packages to new machines.

 

If your not on there already, I'd recommend getting signed up on the CentraStage community and asking the same question. I'm sure there are loads of users out there using it for the same things you are looking at, as well as the CentraStage employees who are happy to help in any way at all: http://http://community.centrastage.com/centrastage

[mackster]

Thanks for replying. We've started using CentraStage for ad-hoc software deployment and I've created a number of components already; it was more about using it to replace startup scripts. I'm playing with OnConnect jobs today which I think will hopefully do what I'm looking for. I am interested in what you say about SOLUS3 though, as we're way behind with that and we need to get moving.

[Rawns]

Thanks for replying. We've started using CentraStage for ad-hoc software deployment and I've created a number of components already; it was more about using it to replace startup scripts. I'm playing with OnConnect jobs today which I think will hopefully do what I'm looking for. I am interested in what you say about SOLUS3 though, as we're way behind with that and we need to get moving.

 

Well we are in the process of rolling it out to all schools in the LA at the moment. There is a fair amount of manual setup involved with SOLUS3 however being able to install the database, services and UI with a few clicks saves a good amount of time!