Software deployment tools give organizations an easy way to ensure that software bundles get properly installed. This is a particularly important requirement if you develop your own software in-house. Packaging the programs and setup processes together ensures that no element of installation gets overlooked.
It is very common for software to require supporting services installed on a computer in order for them to function correctly, so putting everything into an installation wizard removes the problem of installation slip-ups.
Automating software rollouts means that you can deploy new applications on all machines, or just selected computers overnight while everyone is out of the office. This is particularly important if the new package requires a computer reboot in order to deploy correctly.
Here is our list of the nine best software deployment tools:
- Syxsense Manage EDITOR’S CHOICE An endpoint management package that includes software inventory management and patch management. This is a cloud-based service. Start a 14-day free trial.
- Atera (FREE TRIAL) A package of remote system monitoring and management tools that enable you to manage several sites from one location. This is a cloud-based service. Start a free trial.
- ManageEngine Endpoint Central An endpoint management system for the IT department that includes remote software deployment tools. It installs on Windows Server and Linux.
- Atlassian Bamboo A continuous integration environment for software development that includes a software deployment module.
- Octopus Deploy A choice of on-premises software or cloud service that manages the installation of software, pre-checking for system compatibility. The on-site version installs on Windows.
- AWS CodeDeploy A cloud-based system that is free to use for software deployments on an AWS server and cheap for on-premises releases.
- Google Cloud Deployment Manager A software deployment tool that can be used for releases to Google Cloud Virtual Machine Instances for free and is also available for on-premises software release management.
- Jenkins A free, open-source software deployment tool that can be adapted by plugins. It installs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- GitLab CI/CD A software development pipeline environment that includes software deployment through GitLab CD. This environment is available as a cloud-based service or for on-premises installation on Linux.
Remote software deployment
If you manage more than a couple of endpoints, you probably won’t expect to need to visit each workstation to install the software. Remote software deployment systems can operate over a network. These networked methods to deploy software packages can operate just as easily over the internet. They will enable you to roll out software deployment across several sites from one central location.
The big advantage of remote software deployment tools is that they enable you to standardize the software inventory on all your devices. You can create a profile for each job description and each device type. Once that package is settled, onboarding new employees into the system becomes very simple.
Remote software deployment systems include task automation, so when a new software package needs to be deployed on many endpoints, that task can be carried out by the tool with just one click. Automated software deployment tools also include status reporting, so it is possible to see if any of the installation processes failed.
The best software deployment tools
Enabling software to be rolled out from one central location means that software deployment doesn’t need to involve any effort from the users of the system.
With these selection criteria in mind, we have identified software management tools that can automate deployment and suit enterprises of all sizes. On this list, you will find some free tools and others that are suitable for very large, multi-site organizations.
1. Syxsense Manage (FREE TRIAL)
Syxsense Manage is a SaaS endpoint management platform that works with desktops and servers running Windows, Linux, or macOS and also IoT devices. As a cloud-based system, this service isn’t limited to managing the endpoints on one network. It is able to supervise devices on many sites and treat them as one group. It can also include the management of individual devices in the homes of telecommuting staff and treat them as part of a single pool of resources.
Key Features:
- Manages desktops, servers, and IoT devices
- Cloud-based
- Includes 50 GB of cloud storage space
- Creates software inventory
- Automated patch rollout
The system is able to discover all of the endpoints on one network, given a starting point, driven by an onsite agent. In order to include the endpoints on other sites, so simply install an agent in each of those places. The result of that network search is a device inventory, which logs information about each endpoint. The service then searches through each device, cataloging its software, from the operating system up.
The software inventory that the software inventory creates includes the version numbers of all installed packages. That information is used by an automated patch manager that is contained in the Syxsense Manage package.
The patch manager watches for the availability of patches and updates for the operating systems and software listed in its inventory. When a patch becomes available, Syxsense copies over the installer to the cloud storage space for that client – each account gets an allocation of 50GB of cloud storage.
The system administrator needs to set up a maintenance schedule that indicates periods within each week when patches can be installed. When Syxsense Manage gathers patches, it waits for the next maintenance period to install them on all relevant endpoints.
The device and software discovery procedures operate continuously, so the patch manager always knows which patches to look out for. The device and software inventories for part of a document base, stored on the Syxsense cloud servers. The Manage system also logs all of its actions, such as patch installation and this information pool is available to be generated out as reports to show compliance with PCI DSS, SOX, and HIPAA.
The service, while documenting the operating systems on each endpoint, will highlight misconfigurations and recommend changes to settings. It also allows you to set up a standard endpoint configuration, including a software profile, that can be used to automatically onboard new devices.