[Samba] Automatic Windows Patch Deployment (OS Agnostic)

[Jerry Haltom]

A month ago I mentioned on this list work on a automated package
deployment tool for Windows systems, which is server agnostic. At the
time, I didn't have the time to put it up in a place for public
consumption. I do now.

The utility is named wpkg (punny isn't it?) It's nothing more than a
simple .js (jscript) file which needs to be run on Windows, from a
directory containing three XML files describing packages, hosts, and
profiles to be installed on a system.

Each package consists of nothing more than a set of command lines to run
on install/upgrade/removal, a version number, and a name. When the
script is run (preferably as a service at boot, using srvany.exe, or
FireDaemon), it checks a local C:\$SYS$\System32\wpkg.xml file, which
lists the package entries of locally installed packages, determines
which new packages are available, and attempts to install them according
to their command lines, and reboots if neccassary.

It is very simple, but I've now been running it for a week, with about
10 boxes (about to roll it out to all my systems), and it is totally
successful. It's very easy to add new packages, or upgade existing
packages, and then force a system wide reboot.

I am sending it to the list because I imagine there are similar Windows
administrators out there, running Samba (or not) that need a good
software deployment utility. Microsoft's SUS sort of requires IIS, SMS
isn't much better. Also, I would like people to check it out, and submit
patches, or changes, or new features to me, so that I may make use of
them too. :)

The source code is currently hosted on my subversion repository, at:

http://jack.feedbackplusinc.com/svn/repos/wpkg/

Username: guest
Password: your email address

The package is released under the GPL. (Can one of you license guru's
tell me if the GPL is appropiate for a windows patcher written in
jscript?)

Enjoy.

--

My current setup is using this sytem, with FireDaemon to launch the
service at start. Soon as Monday rolls around, im going to play with the
ResKit's srvany.exe program.

-- 
Jerry Haltom <jhaltom at feedbackplusinc.com>
Feedback Plus, Inc.