The Definitive Guide to Windows Software Deployment

[Pages:253]r e a l t i m e p u b l i s h e r s . c o mtm

The Definitive Guidetm To

Windows Software Deployment

Chris Long

Introduction

By Sean Daily, Series Editor

Welcome to The Definitive Guide to Windows 2000 Software Deployment!

The book you are about to read is not only the definitive technical resource for information on Windows 2000 software deployment, but represents an entirely new modality of book publishing. The founding concept behind is the idea of providing readers with high-quality books on today's most critical IT topics--at no cost to the reader. Although this may sound like a somewhat impossible feat, it is made possible through the vision and generosity of corporate sponsors such as New Boundary Technologies (formerly Lanovation), who agree to foot the production expenses for the book and host it on their website for the benefit of their website visitors.

It should be pointed out that the free nature of these books does not in any way diminish their quality. Without reservation, I can tell you that this book is the equivalent of any similar printed book you might find at your local bookstore (with the notable exception that it won't cost you $30 to $80). In addition to the free nature of the books, this publishing model provides other significant benefits. For example, the electronic nature of this eBook makes events such as chapter updates and additions, or the release of a new edition of the book possible to achieve in a far shorter timeframe than is possible with printed books. Because we publish our titles in "realtime"--that is, as chapters are written or revised by the author--you benefit from receiving the information immediately rather than having to wait months or years to receive a complete product.

Finally, I'd like to note that although it is true that New Boundary Technologies' Web site is the exclusive online location of the book, this book is by no means a paid advertisement for them. is an independent publishing company and maintains, by written agreement with the sponsor, 100% editorial control over the content of our titles. However, by hosting this information, New Boundary Technologies has set themselves apart from their competitors by providing real value to their customers and transforming their site into a true technical resource library--not just a place to learn about their company and products. It is my opinion that this system of content delivery is not only of immeasurable value to readers, but represents the future of book publishing.

As series editor for the Windows IT series at Realtimepublishers, it is my raison d'?tre to locate and work only with the industry's leading authors and editors, and publish books that help IT personnel, IT managers, and users to do their everyday jobs. To that end, I encourage and welcome your feedback on this or any other book in the series. If you would like to submit a comment, question, or suggestion, please do so by sending an e-mail to feedback@, leaving feedback on our website at , or calling us at (707) 539-5280.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy!

Sean Daily

Series Editor

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Introduction...................................................................................................................................... i By Sean Daily, Series Editor ................................................................................... i

Chapter 1: The Foundation of Software Deployment......................................................................1 Getting to the Point ..........................................................................................................................1 What Is Software?............................................................................................................................2

Software Is a Collection of Software ...................................................................................3 Software Connects to Software............................................................................................4

Linking .....................................................................................................................4 Software Breaks Software....................................................................................................6

DLL Hell..................................................................................................................7 Software Evolves .................................................................................................................9 Introducing Software Producers and Consumers.............................................................................9 Motivations and Responsibilities.........................................................................................9

Software Producers ................................................................................................10 Software Consumers ..............................................................................................10 Installing Software .........................................................................................................................10 File Transfer.......................................................................................................................11 Configuration .....................................................................................................................11 Autoexec.bat and Config.sys Configuration..........................................................12 System.ini and Win.ini Configuration ...................................................................12 The Advent of Windows....................................................................................................12 Windows' GUI.......................................................................................................12 Shared Files............................................................................................................13 The System Registry ..............................................................................................13 Uninstalls ...............................................................................................................14 Beyond the Install ..........................................................................................................................14 The Evolution of Software Deployment ............................................................................15 Repackaging...........................................................................................................16 The Growth of Software Deployment................................................................................17 Large-scale Deployment ....................................................................................................17 Conformance Testing.............................................................................................18 Licensing................................................................................................................19

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Distribution ............................................................................................................19 Support ...................................................................................................................19 The Software-Deployment Life Cycle...........................................................................................19 Release ...............................................................................................................................20 Retire..................................................................................................................................21 Install..................................................................................................................................21 Uninstall .............................................................................................................................21 Update ................................................................................................................................21 Adapt..................................................................................................................................21 Activate ..............................................................................................................................21 De-activate .........................................................................................................................22 Summary ........................................................................................................................................22 Chapter 2: Conformance Evaluation..............................................................................................23 Acquisition .....................................................................................................................................24 Evaluation ..........................................................................................................................24 Determine Whether the Software is Necessary .....................................................24 Calculate the ROI...................................................................................................25 Determine Who Will Require the Software...........................................................25 Develop a Plan Based on Operating System..........................................................26 Compatibility Testing ........................................................................................................26 Create a Reproducible Test Environment ..............................................................28 DLLs and Shared Resources..................................................................................28 Software-Automation Tools...................................................................................29 The Results.............................................................................................................29 Standardization ..................................................................................................................30 Range of Standardization.......................................................................................30 Enforcing Standards...............................................................................................30 Conflict Resolution ............................................................................................................31 Tooling ...............................................................................................................................32 Repackaging.......................................................................................................................33 Create an Install Program from Scratch.................................................................33 Lab Testing ............................................................................................................33 Distribution ....................................................................................................................................34

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Image Delivery...................................................................................................................34 Push Delivery.....................................................................................................................35

Assigning ...............................................................................................................35 Publishing ..............................................................................................................36 Pull Delivery ......................................................................................................................36 Pilot Rollouts .....................................................................................................................36 Software Management .......................................................................................................37 Inventory ................................................................................................................37 Delivery..................................................................................................................38 Licensing................................................................................................................38 Reporting................................................................................................................38 Warehousing ..........................................................................................................38 Policy Management ...............................................................................................38 Manage Components .............................................................................................39 Support ...........................................................................................................................................39 Software Repair .................................................................................................................40 License Conformance ........................................................................................................41 System Recovery ...............................................................................................................41 Decommissioning Software ...............................................................................................42 Summary ........................................................................................................................................42 Chapter 3: Repackaging.................................................................................................................43 Repackaging Background ..............................................................................................................44 Repackaging Process .....................................................................................................................44 The Test Computer ............................................................................................................45 Creating a Clean State............................................................................................46 Creating a Good Image ..........................................................................................47 Creating a Baseline State .......................................................................................50 Ask Questions ................................................................................................................................51 Document .......................................................................................................................................54 Preparation .....................................................................................................................................54 Research the Existing Application Media..........................................................................54 Script Solutions......................................................................................................55 Creating a Working State.......................................................................................56

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Snapshot Software Options................................................................................................58 Strictly Snapshot Tools ..........................................................................................58 Snapshot-to-Project Tools......................................................................................59

Snapshot .........................................................................................................................................60 Package Evaluation............................................................................................................61 UI ...........................................................................................................................63 System Files ...........................................................................................................64 Internal Logic.........................................................................................................64 Conflict Resolution ............................................................................................................65 Getting a Profile.................................................................................................................65

Test.................................................................................................................................................68 Repackaging Is Easy, Right? .........................................................................................................69 A Repackaging Example: Macromedia ColdFusion 5...................................................................69

Clean Requirements ...........................................................................................................69 Baseline Requirements.......................................................................................................69 Preparing to Create the Package ........................................................................................70

Normal Install ........................................................................................................74 Snapshot Process....................................................................................................78 Package Modifications...........................................................................................80 Comments on the Final Package........................................................................................81 Summary ........................................................................................................................................81 Chapter 4: Methods for Deploying Software.................................................................................82 History............................................................................................................................................82 The Parts of a Deployment Methodology..........................................................................83 Choosing a Deployment Method ...................................................................................................84 Sneakernet..........................................................................................................................84 Sneakernet Recommendation.................................................................................85 Simple Scripting Methods..................................................................................................85 Scripts Recommendation .......................................................................................89 Email ..................................................................................................................................89 An Example Email Deployment ............................................................................91 Email Recommendation.........................................................................................93 Web ....................................................................................................................................93

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Web Recommendation...........................................................................................95 Image Inclusion..................................................................................................................95

Image Inclusion Recommendation ........................................................................97 Third-Party Solutions.........................................................................................................97

Push........................................................................................................................99 Pull .........................................................................................................................99 Combination...........................................................................................................99 Standalone..............................................................................................................99 Suite .......................................................................................................................99 Prism Deploy .......................................................................................................101 Marimba Desktop Management...........................................................................105 Third-Party Tools Recommendation....................................................................107 Microsoft..........................................................................................................................107 SMS......................................................................................................................107 IntelliMirror .........................................................................................................109 Microsoft Recommendation.................................................................................110 Rollouts ........................................................................................................................................110 Pilot Users........................................................................................................................112 Errors Are Found--Do You Continue to Roll Out? ........................................................113 Ensuring the Deployment Worked...............................................................................................113 Some Tools to Confirm the Deployment Went Out ........................................................114 The Human Error Factor..............................................................................................................115 Summary ......................................................................................................................................115 Chapter 5 Deploying to Remote Users ........................................................................................116 Generic Remote Issues.................................................................................................................116 Types of Remote Users................................................................................................................118 Common Issues................................................................................................................119 Scheduling............................................................................................................119 Network Transmission .........................................................................................121 Deployment Status Reporting ..............................................................................122 Connectivity Durations ........................................................................................122 Security ................................................................................................................126 User Impact..........................................................................................................129

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Remote Hardwired ...........................................................................................................131 Remote Stationary............................................................................................................131 Roaming Users and Machines .........................................................................................132 Rarely Connected.............................................................................................................135 A Real World Example....................................................................................................136 Summary ......................................................................................................................................137 Chapter 6: Deploying in the Enterprise .......................................................................................138 Does Size Really Matter?.............................................................................................................138 Documentation .................................................................................................................139

Package Documentation.......................................................................................140 Distribution Documentation.................................................................................146 Distribution Sheet ........................................................................................................................147 Change Management .......................................................................................................148 Change-Management Request Forms ..................................................................150 The Change Management Coordinator................................................................151 An Example Change-Management Process.........................................................153 Where is the Source? .......................................................................................................155 Read-Only User ID ..............................................................................................156 Mirroring..............................................................................................................158 Verification ..........................................................................................................159 Hardware Thoughts..........................................................................................................160 Repeatable Processes .......................................................................................................161 Software Metering ...........................................................................................................161 Summary ......................................................................................................................................163 Chapter 7: Installation Tool Alternatives.....................................................................................164 Windows Installer ............................................................................................................164 Overview..............................................................................................................165 Windows Installer Transforms.........................................................................................169 Windows Installer Patches...............................................................................................177 Fixing Damaged Applications .........................................................................................177 Windows Installer Elevated Privileges ............................................................................178 Creating a Windows Installer File ...................................................................................178 Running an Installer File......................................................................................181

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