.NET Deployment Options with Patch management / Automatic updates

Question

What are the options available to deploy a .NET desktop application built using WPF other than ClickOnce?

Top priorities are

• should work over the wire (internet or intranet)
• updates management; options to check for software updates and automatic updates.
• patch management; download and update only those files which has changed.

Answer 1

Have you looked into XBAP deployment?

Answer 2

This tool might help: http://www.ddaysoftware.com/Pages/Projects/DDay.Update/

Answer 3

Dot Net Auto Update

I've implemented a library to do this called DotNetAutoUpdate (original name eh?). It aims to be:

• Simple to use
• Simple to setup
• Secure - see Auto update: Is this secure?

It doesn't handle differential patches at the moment but perhaps in the future.