Modeled after Microsoft’s TechNet Subscription service, I outsourced the development of an offline viewer which would serve up a version of the site where each page was provided as an individual article. You could search, bookmark and print site content which was updated on a monthly basis and shipped to subscribers.

With a solution to generate the offline documents, index them and bundle them for searching and viewing, I purchased a DVD burning robot and had silkscreened blank DVDs and cases produced. Each month I would take the offline resources, videos that I was specially producing, PackageCleaner and other goodies and pack them up for shipping. One could order one DVD or a 6 or 12 month subscription. The volume got high enough that it would take me all weekend to create, pack and ship these DVDs but it was providing a good revenue stream for the site.

When AppDeploy was acquired by KACE, this offering was shut down and outstanding deliveries were refunded. It was simply taking too much of my time and it was not what KACW wanted me down with my time.

When one would purchase a subscription, I had some nice leather DVD cases I would ship to put them in as they arrived. I’ve actually dug up a handful of these and am giving them away as free gifts for participation at AppDetails.

Press Release: 1/12/2000

Application Deployment Information Center Now Online

Every network faces the problem of deploying updates, fixes and new applications on a regular basis- now there is a place to view detailed information on all the products that can help. AppDeploy.com is a clearinghouse for installation creation software, deployment tools, and drive imaging utilities.

Even when managing networks of less than 50 computers, it quickly becomes a burden to keep up with the requests and demands for new software, service packs, and hotfixes. Employing any of the dozens of installation creation software on the market can take a valuable step in automating this task by creating an installation “package”. In this way, the steps normally required by the manual installation of an application are instead combined into a single step. This both simplifies the installation process and allows the user receiving the update to have little or (preferably) no involvement in the installation or update. A number of deployment tools are available to satisfy getting these packages out across the network. If asked what tools exist to do this job, most would say SMS or perhaps Tivoli. The problem is, how many people have heard of Cognet, Altiris Express, or any of the other competitive products that can be even more suitable than these more prevalent products?

When deploying a whole new workstation or client system, employing drive image technology can save hours and greatly simplify the process. Again, most think of Ghost, but other products like ImageCast IC3, Drive Image Pro and Flash Clone are debatably superior products for the job.

Aside from detailed information and links on every known product, a message board to discuss any problems, solutions, or product questions can also be found at AppDeploy.com. Until now there has been no specialized forum to exchange information on this topic.

A script exchange area is provided as a place for visitors to upload and download scripts created to help automate the task of remote deployments. When automating updates and installations scripting becomes an essential skill of the trade.

Application deployment news, articles, a chat room and a newsletter round off the services that this resource center provides, equipping visitors with everything needed to get the job done right.