Software Deployment

Good afternoon,

we are looking for the software, the tools, or components that can automatically update our applications at the remote computers.

In short words, several program run simultaneously at remote computer under Windows 2003 server. Each program is the console application. They share the same resources (files, memory, databases, etc.), so they should be updated together. One of them, the watcher, is installed as service, it starts automatically at Windows startup and immediately launches the programs listed at the watcher’s configuration. The watcher can restart any program if necessary, or sends a message to it to close the program gracefully (it never terminates the program to avoid unclosed/unsaved data).

But there are a number of the remote computers that can be accessed only via TCP/IP. And, unfortunately, each of the computers can use the special version of the software. In case when we fixed some bug or problem for some version, we can quickly build special version. But then we should upload it to the computer by hands. It takes time and is pregnant with bad consequences if the update is not ended correctly.

We want to update the SPECIFIED VERSION of the software automatically to the SPECIFIED remote computer. As you can see, all is in our reliable hands. We can start, close, or do something else with programs at the remote computer. So, we can integrate the updater easily in our software group.

Could you please point me where I can find such update software, tool, or program component? If some details about our programs and use conditions are needed please ask me.

Best regards,

Alex Yeryomin
Project Manager

PS Of course, we can program simple TCP/IP server running at some computer (version distributor) and client running at the remote computer, they can check versions, updates program, …. But for what? I hope there are already reliable, good solutions for this case. It is necessary to find out these solutions to be happy. :-)