软件分发

Desktop Central has certainly simplified software deployment tasks for over 10,000 systems, and it is either a 9 or 10 [out of 10] on features
Jason Beckett, Prime Health Care Services

在大型网络中，管理员需要花费大量的时间和资源来管理软件分发和更新。向所有系统逐一安装软件，极大地影响了工作效率，亟需远程自动安装软件的工具。

利用Desktop Central桌面管理工具，可帮助系统管理员自动分发、安装、更新或卸载软件应用程序。

主要功能：

• 创建安装包存储库，实现安装程序的重复利用
• 支持安装MSI & EXE应用程序
• 使用"Run As"选项，以指定用户安装应用程序的选项
• 提供安装软件前，将安装文件复制到客户端计算机的选项
• 支持执行预安装脚本/命令，若失败即取消安装
• 计划软件部署
• 支持卸载MSI & EXE应用程序
• 使用预定义模板部署软件

Desktop Central's Windows Installer feature improves the administrator's productivity by supporting remote MSI & EXE software/application deployment. Desktop Central can automatically install MSI & EXE software to users or computers at a scheduled time. Desktop Central supports software installation to users and computers or mass installation to OUs, Domains and Sites.

Creating Software Repositories

Software repositories are used to store software packages. These packages can either be for MSI-based software applications or EXE-based software applications. A software package added in Desktop Central will have the location of the installation files along with the installation and uninstallation commands. A package once added can be used to deploy the software any number of times by just defining a configuration.

Pre-Deployment Activities

For ensuring a smooth and successful software deployment, Desktop Central provides the option to validate a set of conditions before a software installation/ uninstallation. The pre-deployment activities include checking for previous software versions, running processes of dependant executables, free disk space etc. Upon validation of each of these conditions, you can decide on proceeding with or skipping the installation/ uninstallation.

Scheduled Software Deployment

Desktop Central allows administrators to schedule a software deployment to users and computers after a specified time. This is very useful in deploying the software after business hours to ensure users/computers are not affected due to this deployment. The network traffic will also be minimum at off hours.

Visibility on Software Installation Status

Desktop Central does not stop with just installing MSI/EXE software in the user machines; it also provides the status of the installation for the administrator to check whether the installation was successful in all the configured systems. The software installation status is made available in the Desktop Central client, which can be accessed from anywhere in the network through a web browser.

Uninstalling MSI and EXE-based Software

In addition to installation of Windows software, Desktop Central also provides an ability to uninstall the MSI software applications that have been installed using Desktop Central. The details of the installed software are maintained under the configurations. The administrator can just open the configuration, edit it and choose to remove the software that was previously installed.

For more details, refer to the Windows Installer topic in the online help.

Deploying Software Applications Using Templates

The Templates tab in the Software Deployment section comprises of predefined applications that you can use to create packages automatically. This functionality downloads binaries from the respective vendors' websites to create packages automatically. You can create a single package or multiple packages from the Templates tab and deploy them to target computers.