Deployment Tips

Where can I deploy 3rd-party software from?

Within the System Center Configuration Manager Console, there are several places that you can deploy 3rd-party software from.

The New HEAT PatchLink DeskTop Console Plug-in Views

HEAT PatchLink DeskTop for System Center adds two new views to the Software Library Workspace. We highly recommend that you use these views to deploy software, because they only deploy software by bundles (see more in "Why should I deploy..." below).

All 3rd Party Software Update Bundles : This view lists all the bundles that you've published from the HEAT PatchLink DeskTop Catalog without any Microsoft content mixed in. This is the most convenient way to deploy 3rd-party software.
All Software Update Bundles : This view lists both 3rd-Party and Microsoft bundles. This view is good to use when you're deploying a mix of 3rd-party and Microsoft content.

The Usual System Center Configuration Manager Views

You can also deploy software from the HEAT PatchLink DeskTop Catalog using the standard Software Library Workspace view available. These views will contain a list of Microsoft and 3rd-party updates that you can deploy (again, see "Why should I deploy..." below).

All Software Updates
Software Update Groups
Deployment Packages

Why should I deploy software using the new HEAT PatchLink DeskTop Console Plug-in views?

You should use our new views because they facilitate deployments of both 3rd-party and Microsoft software using bundles. A bundle is a container that includes all the packages needed for installation on any supported Microsoft operating systems. One bundle covers many different install scenarios.

For example, let's say you wanted to install Java 7 on all your enterprise systems. If you use the Java 7 bundle, that's all you'll need to deploy. It will install Java 7 on Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, and so on, regardless of 32-bit or 64-bit architecture.

However, if you use the standard Software Library Workspace views, deployment may become more difficult. These views mix bundles with updates, which are individual packages targeted at a specific operating system and architecture. You'd have to deploy multiple updates to do the job of a single bundle. Trust us, stick with the bundles.

System Center Configuration Manager has a lot of deployment options. Where can I read about them?

Read up about them in the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Documentation available at Microsoft TechNet.