As well as writing for IT Week and other computing titles I occasionally get asked to do “real” work, installing and supporting a range of software products designed expressly for network deployment.Why then, I wonder, is it that so few companies I encounter have any kind of strategy, or tools, to distribute and install applications over the LAN?

In my experience, when asked this question, most network managers simply shrug their shoulders and try to turn the question around, the most common response being, “What would you suggest?” And it’s much the same when I ask about patching and applying updates. It’s something virtually every organisation would like to be able to manage centrally, yet few ever take any steps towards achieving that goal.

Maybe I’m being naive, but I find this somewhat puzzling, especially given that networks, by their very nature, can and really ought to make this kind of task a lot easier. No more visiting each and every PC on the LAN to install software ­ instead you just pull or push the code out across the network. More than that, there’s a wide choice of tools that can be used to do just that.

For example, I recently arranged for an auditing tool to be installed on a local authority network of some 2,000-plus PCs from logon scripts (yes, they are still used). I’ve also installed software using Windows group policy, although few network managers are aware of this option or how to use it. There are also plenty of custom distribution products available, both standalone and as part of wider network management solutions ­ Microsoft’s recently revamped System Center line up and ZENworks from Novell spring to mind.

Another often overlooked but extremely useful tool is Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Instead of leaving every PC on the network to get its updates direct from Microsoft, WSUS can download the updates once, and distribute them locally. In bandwidth terms it’s more efficient and you can also check the updates for compatibility before letting them loose on your users. Plus it’s free, making it hard to understand why so few firms actually make use of it.

I can kind of appreciate the reluctance to devote resources to this issue in small companies. After all it takes time and effort to set up any kind of automated software distribution system and, on a small network, simply walking round and installing new applications and updates will be quicker.

As the number of users and sites grow, however, it rapidly becomes a lot more effective to automate the processes, both in terms of cost and the sheer amount of effort and time involved in doing it all manually.

In the firms I’ve dealt with the network manager is responsible for just about everything, so come on guys, use your network to distribute software. It’ll save money and make your lives, and mine, a lot easier.