Tips and Tricks
QuickTip: Next, Next, Repeat
Software installation might sound like instructions on the back of the shampoo bottle. But it doesn't have to be that way.
- By Greg Shields
- 11/01/2008
The hardest part of a software installation is often the walk between desktops. When you're in charge of a massive software installation using just manual methods, your shoes will wear as much as your mouse-clicking finger.
But software needn't be installed using the "Next, Next, Finish" method. Achieve the same result on hundreds of machines as on a single one through packaging and automated deployment.
With a little technique and the right tools, you can deploy virtually any piece of software through Active Directory. The deployment process is relatively simple. Check out
One free tool that's perfect for helping the small environment with repackaging is
WinINSTALL LE. It enables a great set of functionality for turning difficult installs into easy, automated installs. The process goes like this:
- From a fresh OS installation, install the WinINSTALL LE software and run its
Discover tool.
- Install your software of choice and rerun the Discover tool again.
WinINSTALL LE will determine what files and registry entries changed between the two snapshots and package up the "diffs" into a new .MSI file. With this file in hand, you're ready for testing and, ultimately, a large-scale deployment.
About the Author
Greg Shields is Author Evangelist with PluralSight, and is a globally-recognized expert on systems management, virtualization, and cloud technologies. A multiple-year recipient of the Microsoft MVP, VMware vExpert, and Citrix CTP awards, Greg is a contributing editor for Redmond Magazine and Virtualization Review Magazine, and is a frequent speaker at IT conferences worldwide. Reach him on Twitter at @concentratedgreg.