Conducting a Pilot for Software Deployment

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Whether you assign or publish software, you need to conduct a pilot deployment using a small group of users to test and evaluates the software before you deploy it to the rest of the organization.

You can manage a software evaluation in any of the following ways:

  • Evaluate the software outside the corporate environment. For example, set up a laboratory or test network environment.

  • Create a GPO to manage the evaluation, and then assign or publish the software to users who are managed by that GPO.

  • Edit the security settings on an existing GPO, or on the assigned or published package, to control who can install the package for evaluation.

  • Manage the state of the software by switching any of the variables, such as assigned or published, visible or hidden, or auto-install set or not set. You can manage these parameters for each package by using the property pages of the software installation extension of the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in.

Deploying Software for Users

Although a single solution cannot fit all situations, the following situations illustrate commonalities that you are likely to encounter during a pilot that includes user who have different needs.

Stationary workers

In most organizations, users have their own computers and stay in one location. Typically the computers they use are desktop computers that have a consistent, high-speed connection to the network.

Typically, administrators make these clients their base model and define a standard operating environment. This environment includes standards for how to install and configure the operating system and how to use Group Policy to further configure and manage the environment. This environment also determines the software that is needed.

If these computers have the necessary hardware to use the Remote Installation Services (RIS) feature of Windows Server 2003, the administrator can include the necessary software with the operating system image. The software is then copied to the computer that runs the operating system.

For computers that do not have the necessary hardware to use Remote Installation Services, you can use the software installation extension of Group Policy to assign software to the computers. Do this by editing the GPO that manages the computers, and by using the software installation extension in Computer Configuration of the Group Policy namespace.

Roaming users

In many organizations, some users move or roam from one location to another. It is important to understand that, although the roaming users log on to different computers to do their jobs, these computers are typically connected by a high-speed connection or a LAN connection. Additionally, managed applications follow the roaming users to any computers they log on to. For example, when a user logs on to computer A and installs software, and then goes to another location and logs on to computer B, the user can see that the software that is installed on computer A is also installed on computer B. Any changes made to that software for the user or by the user on one computer propagate to all other computers to which the user logs on.

Note

  • Because Group Policy software deployment settings are not applied over a slow link by default, roaming users who connect to their organization’s network by slow links might not see changes to their software. You can change this default behavior in Group Policy so that applications install over slow links. You can also change the network speed threshold that Group Policy uses to decide whether a link is considered "slow." For more information about slow links and Group Policy, see "Designing a Group Policy Infrastructure" in this book.

You can assign applications either to the users or to the computers. For example, if all roaming users of a certain type use a certain application, it makes sense to assign that application to the computers so that it is already installed on the computers that the roaming users will use. Sometimes you might have to assign the software to the users, instead. In this case, when the various roaming users log on to the computer, they see the applications that are assigned to them because the application is advertised. The application is only installed for the users who actually run the application.

Mobile users

Some users travel extensively to do their jobs. For example, sales personnel often spend more time at the offices of customers than at their own offices. Mobile users are different from roaming users in that they typically work from portable computers away from an office. Although mobile users log on to the same computer, their computers sometimes connect by a high-speed link and sometimes by a low-speed link.

One challenge in assigning applications to mobile users is that source files might not be available. Use the following recommendations if your organization has mobile users:

  • When connected over a slow link, user assignment effectively behaves the same as publishing software to users. If Group Policy slow-link processing is set to the default in the user interface, the software is not installed on demand. However, users can go to Add or Remove Programs to install the assigned software.

  • If users experience difficulty staying connected when they install software, verify that the connection speed and Group Policy settings are set appropriately. You can define the connection speed that is considered to be a slow link.

  • Verify that all important software components that are defined by you for the user are installed initially. This allows a user who is not connected to the network to have access to necessary software components.

Shared computers

In many organizations, users share computers, such as bank tellers who work at different times and might use a different counter and computer each shift. In these environments, the software is often task-based. Although users change, the software does not. Also, the software might track who is logged on. You can manage these users or computers from a single GPO by grouping them appropriately, and then using the software installation extension of Group Policy to assign software to the computers by using the Computer Configuration of the GPO namespace. The software is then available for every user of that computer.

Note that when new software is assigned to a computer, it is installed when the computer restarts. If computers restart between shifts, the new software installation or upgrade might affect the total startup time of the computer. This increase in startup time occurs only if new software is assigned or the existing software is upgraded.

Another example where computers are shared is a computer lab or classroom where users share computers for a short period of time. This situation is different from the previous shared computer situation because each user might use the same applications as the previous user, or different applications. However, the computers do not move. In this case, using an Active Directory site to manage software makes sense, although grouping the computers into a single OU can also work.

Choose the method that gives you the correct level of control for applying Group Policy. Depending on your requirements, you might decide to assign software to the computer. This can work well if the software is written to keep user information (such as configuration information and saved files) separate from software information (such as executable files). Another way to manage this environment is to assign software so that users have access to the software that each needs for their training.

Tip

  • To rebuild a shared environment quickly and efficiently, use RIS.