Software Deployment and Update Overview

Note: New licenses for Software Deployment and Update are managed by Ninite directly. KSDU licenses purchased before May 31, 2015 are not affected by this change. If licenses are purchased from Ninite directly, users must download a Ninite Pro file provided by Ninite. The file is uploaded into Software Deployment and Update using the Application Settings page. After the upload users can begin using Software Deployment and Update on as many agents as their Ninite Pro license allows.

Software Deployment and Update (KSDU) automates the deployment and updating of software on managed Windows machines. Deploying, updating and managing software is a required yet time consuming process for any IT professional. Without the ability to manage by policy, trying to stay in compliance with organizational and external regulatory requirements becomes a nightmare. Software Deployment and Update removes that burden by providing IT professionals with the ability to completely automate the deployment and update process of software on a scheduled basis across multiple domains and remote computers.

A comprehensive Software Catalog and user-defined profiles enable you to quickly deploy and update software applications to different populations of Windows-based servers, workstations and notebooks. There are no packages to maintain, command-line switches, versions to find, files to track. This is all maintained automatically within the Software Catalog.

The Software Deployment and Update module:

Provides a Master Catalog of popular software titles and versions, already configured for silent installs.
Organizes and deploys software titles and versions using a local Software Catalog that you control.
Supports the creation of custom installers, including the use of answer files for unattended installations.
Deploys and updates by software title and version on a recurring schedule.
Uses profiles to deploy and update bundles of software titles by policy, to different populations of assigned machines.
Can assign profiles by machine group, organization or view.
Can run pre-install and post-install agent procedures.
Can uninstall software titles and cancel pending installs and uninstalls.
Supports both auto approval and manual approval when a new version is available.
Scans machines on a recurring basis for software and version profile compliance.
Supports scanning of machines not connected to the internet.
Provides alerts, dashboards, status views, reports and logs to monitor software deployment and update activities.
Designates a machine to act as a file source for downloaded files for other machines on the same LAN.

Note: See Software Deployment and Update System Requirements.

Functions	Description
Overview	Illustrates the stages of configuring and operating Software Deployment and Update, with links to the relevant pages and to online help.
Dashboard	Provides a dashboard view of Software Deployment and Update activities.
Deployment Analysis	Displays a sortable, filterable table of every software title and version installed on every machine managed by Software Deployment and Update.
Schedules	Reschedules tasks on Software Deployment and Update managed machines.
Status - By Machine	Identifies the software titles that are in compliance or out of compliance for a selected machine.
Status - By Software Title	Identifies the machines that are in compliance or out of compliance for a selected software title.
Pending Approvals	Approves the deployment of selected software to selected profiles.
Manual Deployment - By Machine	Manually deploys software to machines, by selected machine.
Manual Deployment - By Software Title	Manually deploys software to machines, by selected software title.
Manage	Specifies the software titles and versions to be deployed to machines by named profile.
Assign by Machine	Assigns profiles to machines.
Assign by Profile	Assigns machines to profiles.
Catalog	Defines a local Software Catalog by selecting software titles and versions from a Master Catalog. Optionally creates custom installers.
Application Settings	Sets defaults and other settings that apply to the entire module.
Alerts	Specifies the actions taken in response to Software Deployment and Update alert conditions.
Reboot Actions	Determines the reboot action, by machine, if an installer requires a reboot.
Setup	Provides a easy-to-use, interactive checklist for configuring Software Deployment and Update quickly.
File Source	Designates a machine to act as a file source for downloaded files for other machines on the same LAN.
File Source by Machine	Assigns machines to a designated file source machine.
Application Logging	Displays a log of Software Deployment and Update module activity.
Licensing	Displays license counts for Software Deployment and Update.