Release Management Software

Question

On the topic of Release Management, I'm investigating my options for software that will essentially perform the features WSUS offers as far as I'm aware (remote installation, version querying, per-machine/group settings, etc) but for my custom software. It also needs to be able to run third-party executables (e.g. a graphics driver installer), notify if software is currently running before updating, etc.

UPDATE: I'm primarily looking at C#/C++.NET code to be installed, but I'm looking for a solution for pushing out updates simultaneously from one server to a dozen clients. Is that something I'm going to have to wrapper around, say, an NSIS installer building script, or are there hybrid administration/management/installation tools? I'm currently looking at NSIS/WiX as my main contenders with some sort of scripting for filling in the gaps (advice on language for that, too? Windows PowerShell?).

Answer 1

Since you mention multiple platforms, and graphics drivers, but not java/c#, I presume you have (may have) exe's to specific platforms. Hence the Java Web Start and ClickOnce options are not for you...

Hansel Minutes had a recent chat with the Paint.Net guy largely about their installer, which seems to be a 3 or 4 layered thing. That might be worth checking out.

Answer 2

If you're looking to provide WSUS like functionality, can you use that? If you are already playing nice with the windows installer it shouldn't be too difficult from what I can see.

See this example for a way to publish updates to wsus. There's also a powershell script here that demonstrates publishing an msp to wsus

It looks like you need to make your own reporting interface, but I'd have to imagine that'd be easier than building wsus v4.

I'm assuming this is for "internal" distribution (where you can control the automatic updates client). If you're looking to provide something 'customer facing' that's probably no help at all ;)