Some people will think this is a strange title. They’re the same thing, aren’t they? Nope, they’re not the same. In fact, deployment goes a lot further than just distribution.
It’s not surprising that these terms are often used interchangeably. Developers often make no distinction at all. Once the software is ready, it can be sent to the end users. How it gets there depends on the type of application. An app that the user has to install is distributed, and an app that runs on a server behind a website is deployed. But for the developer, it’s just done & gone. Check.
World of difference
For us, it makes a world of difference. With distribution, you send the app to the users. Perhaps as a (zip) package or, more likely, on a network drive, as a download or in the cloud. However they receive it, the user has to take action to get the software on the computer and install it.
With deployment, you as the system administrator make sure that the software gets where you want it to go: on which computers, with which users, and on which operating systems. There’s no way around it for the user (in most cases). Immediately after they log in (or at another specified time) the software installation begins, often invisibly in the background. You provide parameters that tell the software which options to install, the network paths, the user account…in short, everything that ensures that the software runs properly.
And? So?
Yes, the question from the title. It’s still a strange question because, if you have a choice, you’ll naturally choose deployment. You prefer to stay in control of your network, don’t you? That’s why you choose Easy Software Deployment: because we help you roll out your chosen software and applications to users safely, flexibly, and quickly. And that’s possible with almost all common software and applications.
Want to know more?
Yes, of course! Contact us and we’ll be happy to tell you how it all works.