Installation via NetInstall

Installing software on multiple desktops is more than a trivial task. While tools such as Microsoft SMS and NetSupport DNA include a software distribution function, they don’t quite measure up to the features found in NetInstall.

Installing software on multiple desktops is more than a trivial task. While tools such as Microsoft SMS and NetSupport DNA include a software distribution function, they don’t quite measure up to the features found in NetInstall.

The latest version, 5.7, attempts to simplify the basic installation task while improving on overall integration in the enterprise. Using tools including XML for importing or exporting site information, and a Web service interface for application integration makes this product a first-class citizen in the latest open standards environment.

A new feature called FastInst makes it possible to remotely invoke the NetInstall installer engine on a target machine without the client software. NetInstall covers many ways to build a software distribution project. For legacy applications that don’t use the newer Microsoft Installer (MSI), there is the NetInstall Spy application. This process includes taking a snapshot of a clean system, installing the legacy application software, then taking a post-installation snapshot that creates a difference file. The final installation package is then built from the difference file.

For MSI-based packages, the software supports the creation of a transform file that automates and customizes the process. The final project also can include external scripts, written in JavaScript, VBScript or Perl. Perl support does require a separate installation of the Perl scripting engine.

NetInstall uses a distributed architecture for pushing installation packages out to clients in much the same way that Microsoft SMS operates. The product also integrates with SMS for permission-based installation, SMS-based jobs, and the creation of status and inventory MIF files. For non-connected users, you can create a CD to deliver distribution packages manually.

Other modules expand NetInstall into a more capable management product, including NetReflect for remote control and NetInstall Inventory. While neither of these modules quite match up to similar features in SMS, they do offer an alternative at a lower cost.

NetInstall will appeal more to companies with a moderate to heavy amount of legacy or custom applications, and a frequent need to distribute them to clients. If you already use Microsoft SMS, using NetInstall will be more than adequate for the occasional software upgrade, and highly capable of handling the security patch management process.

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